Control
by Cleo Clipper
Summary: AU."Haven't you ever wanted to give someone complete control? Haven't you ever wanted someone to take care of you?" his voice was low and seductive and Jeremy felt that he should leave before things got weirder than they already were. It figured billionaire Tyler Lockwood had some dark kinky secret he was hiding. Jeremy only wished he wasn't the one to discover it. Tyler/Jeremy R
1. Chapter 1

**Hello again! This is my new, muti-chapter story and I'm excited about it :) the idea was inspired from a Law and Order: SVU episode I recently watched (LOVE that show!) and when I read the book _50 Shades of Grey_ the story just begged to be written. I just want to let people know that THIS IS NOTHING LIKE 50 SHADES OF GREY! Except for the theme of BDSM. Please read and let me know what you think! I will continue to post based off the number of reviews I receive and if people think I should continue.**

**Major Warnings for the story: Slash AND FemSlash (this is my first attempt at FemSlash so bear with me!), BDSM and Dominance/submission relationships and lifestyles (nothing too extreme-some of that stuff made me cringe when I read it), sex, violence, drug use, sex, threesomes, slavery, mentions of child abuse and sex. Lots and lots of kinky sex ;) Also, if anyone is into this lifestyle, feel free to correct me on certain things. I did my best to research this while I wrote it but it would be great to hear someone's actual experience. Happy Reading, and don't forget to review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries, or any characters associated with it. I only own the city of Nivea and this plot.**

* * *

"Goodnight Jeremy, be careful out there," Megan called after him. Jeremy smiled and nodded before he made his way out the back door of the restaurant. He crossed the alley after checking over his shoulder for any lurkers or muggers who might be waiting for an unsuspecting person and made his way to the street. It was a busy Thursday night in the city; taxis were racing up and down streets, people were everywhere either dressed-up or casually, hurrying along to get to where they needed and avoid winding up somewhere they didn't need to be.

After about twenty minutes he made it to the darkened corner of his apartment building. He quickly climbed the first flight of stairs and walked down the hall to apartment 209. Pulling out a ring with only two keys on it, he took the rustier of the two and unlocked his door, quietly stepping inside and locking it before he turned the lights on. In his neighborhood, people were always lurking and waiting for an opportunity to rob, rape and kidnap people to sell for profit. It was usually best to keep to yourself, as Jeremy learned quickly; the less people knew about you and your life, the less likely they could catch you off guard with knowing your schedule.

He flipped on the light, illuminating his dingy one bedroom apartment. The once white walls were turning brown due to dirt and dust, there were marks all over the walls from previous owners and the carpet was thin and rough. Jeremy sighed; every time he came home, he wished his apartment had changed from when he saw it that morning but he was always greeted with the same depressing sight. It didn't even feel like a home; it never had, even after living there for almost a year.

He threw his bag and his keys down on the shabby, wooden table and went into the kitchen, pulling out a thoroughly used plastic cup and he took it to the sink. He turned the faucet to cold and filled his glass, wishing the refrigerators came with an ice machine. But that would be too much to expect from a poor apartment complex in a poor neighborhood like this. He was grateful the apartment came with a refrigerator; he wouldn't have had the money to purchase his own. After filling his cup he went to the table and dropped heavily in the plastic lawn chair that served as his dining chair. He grabbed the remote sitting in the middle and turned on the television, waiting a few moments for the discolored picture to come on. After flipping through the only six channels he had and seeing nothing of interest he settled for watching another rerun of _Friends_.

As the show carried on he leaned back in his uncomfortable chair and sighed tiredly sipping his water; he was on his feet ten to twelve hours six days a week and still barely making rent each month and his bills on time. The job at the restaurant took a lot out of him and didn't give enough in return; the only reason Jeremy didn't go hungry was because Megan, the chef, usually fixed a couple of plates for him to eat on breaks. He was grateful for his job, he knew there were plenty of people who needed a job desperately, but it was starting to take its toll on him. And with the way rent was rising what seemed like every two months, he would have to start looking for a second job or finding a new apartment in a neighborhood worse than his current one.

Jeremy bit his lip and ran his hands through his brown hair, wishing not for the first time that his parents were alive so he had someone to turn to. Being an orphan since he was nine, he didn't really have friends and the families he was in…he shuddered at the thought of asking them for anything. They probably wouldn't have remembered him anyways; he ran away from two of them and he was sent back to the orphanage by the last family when the kind lady that took him in was murdered by her other adopted son. For days Jeremy and his two sisters at the time had to endure horrors from him that most only dreamed of while their caretaker laid dead upstairs in her bed.

He shook his head to rid himself of his memories; there was no point in thinking about the past, they would only serve in giving him nightmares. He had been doing better with them, getting them down to once a week, but there were times where he couldn't help but be plagued with memories from his past and there were far more bad memories than good ones. He turned the TV off and left his cup on the table. He made his way to his grimy bathroom and turned the water on for a shower all the way to hot. He hoped the problem with the hot water was fixed, he didn't desire to take another cold shower. It seemed luck was on his side tonight as he stripped and stepped in, moaning lightly at the warmth it gave him. It was bitterly cold this December and since Jeremy only had one really old jacket and only a few long-sleeve shirts to rely on for warmth, he was thankful for any extra warmth he could find.

As soon as he hopped in the shower he hopped out and grabbed his towel, drying off as quickly as possible to avoid catching a chill. He maneuvered through the darkened apartment into his bedroom, which was a little bigger than a jail cell, not bothering to turn on the light. A twin mattress laid in the center against the wall with a sheet covering it, another sheet and a thinning blanket he used as covers, a small closet was in another corner and a picture of him, his father and his mother from before they were killed sat next to the mattress next to his alarm clock. After finding his pajama bottoms that were too short and a holey, grey T-shirt he put the towel back in the bathroom before going back into his room and dropping down onto the stiff mattress with a tired groan. He grabbed his thin pillow and punched it a couple of times before settling in for the night. He made sure his alarm was set before drifting off to sleep, doing his best to ignore the sounds of fighting and yells of people outside.

* * *

"Fuck," Tyler Lockwood muttered as he ran a hand through his hair and looked around the elegant room. His head was pounding and his mouth and eyes were dry, not a pleasant way to wake up. He swore right then and there he wasn't getting high or drunk anymore; it made him do stupid shit and landed him in situations he didn't need to be in, like right now. He looked to the left and right, not recognizing the man or the woman that were naked and passed out on either side of him. He sighed and cursed Damon for the hundredth time; he was seriously never doing this again.

After removing himself from their embraces and locating his clothes, he went into the bathroom, which was as nice as the room and took a fast shower, washing away any evidence from the previous night's activities. He dressed quickly and splashed some cold water on his face before looking in a drawer, smirking slightly when he saw three toothbrushes that hadn't been opened; Damon always made sure his guests were prepared.

A few minutes later he was exiting the room, hoping to make it to his car and back home without encountering anyone but he rounded the corner and ran right into the person he was trying hardest to avoid.

"So how was your night? You weren't going to sneak off and not give me details were you?" Damon asked with a smirk. He looked impeccable as always; Tyler wondered how the hell he always managed to look so clean. It was part of the Salvatore allure, he supposed.

"Well if I can remember what happened, I might be up for sharing," Tyler grumbled, knowing Damon would see right through that lie.

"Nice try. Alaric is making breakfast and we're eating on the patio. You, my friend, aren't going anywhere."

Tyler rolled his eyes at Damon's smirk and followed him down the marble staircase, the huge chandelier in the middle of the foyer sparkling with sunlight despite the previous clouds in the sky. He followed the dark-haired man downstairs to his massive kitchen and through the patio doors where there was a large breakfast waiting for them.

"You expecting more people?" Tyler asked as he sat down across from Damon.

"Nope. They can all eat at home. Stefan and his entourage might be over later," he smirked at Tyler. "You plan on staying?"

Tyler rolled his eyes again, "No, Damon, I have things to do today. I only stayed for breakfast because I'm starving and I know there's nothing cooked at home because Dolly had the weekend off."

"You still don't know how to cook? I thought your mother would have taught you to at least make spaghetti," Damon scoffed as he helped himself to an omelet and a few pieces of bacon.

"You're one to talk, when's the last time you were in a kitchen making something other than a cocktail?" Tyler quipped back as he piled on eggs, a bagel and pancakes on his plate. "Do you even know how to boil water?"

"I'm too busy. That's what Alaric's for," Damon shot back and Tyler chuckled, shaking his head. "Speaking of busy…you were _awfully_ busy last night. A guy and a chick? I knew that wild side of you was hidden in there somewhere."

"Well if someone hadn't pressured me into hitting the volcano more than once, then that wild side would have stayed hidden."

"I like that wild side, he's a lot more fun than the stuck up dick you see in the papers all the time."

"That stuck-up dick is the reason you can throw all these fancy parties, I wouldn't insult him," Tyler smirked, laughing when Damon rolled his eyes.

"No need to get testy Tyler, I just want to know the details of your sex-capades."

"All you needed to do was ask," Tyler said innocently, a hint of a smirk ghosting his face.

"So…?" Damon asked impatiently and Tyler laughed.

"Well from what I can remember…" he trailed off, stalling for effect. Damon held on to his every word, "Yes?"

"After I took two too many hits from that vape and had one too many shots of Patron I fell on that really nice couch of yours because my head started spinning. Then this gorgeous chick comes out of nowhere and falls into my lap, giggling and telling me her name that I can't remember now. She's holding this pink drink and talking about how good I looked and how we should have our own private party. So I take her up on her offer and follow her to a room and on the way there this pretty boy runs into me. He starts spitting out apologies and I tell him it's alright but he's persistent and asks me how I can make it up to him," Tyler smirked as he got lost in the memories of the night before.

"And?" Damon asked, dragging the word out. Tyler could tell he was completely hooked now.

"So I tell him I know how he can make it up to me and I take him with us. We get in the room and the chick looks confused but I just kiss her and tell her to go with it. And here's where things get interesting."

"Finally! I was wondering when the sex was coming!" Damon exasperated as he shoved more bacon into his mouth and washed it down with his mimosa.

"She puts her drink down and gets completely naked; she even throws her underwear at me. I ask her if she's ever taken on two guys and she says she's taken on more, which I didn't expect to hear. So I look at the guy, cuz he's just standing there, and I ask him if he's going to join in and he says he doesn't do girls but he'd be more than happy if I did him. Then the chick gets upset because she wants me to do her and I'm looking between these two gorgeous people and wondering who the hell I'm gonna fuck first."

"I already know who you took first," Damon smirked. "You can't resist those pretty boys."

Tyler chuckled and took another bite of pancake; Damon knew him too well.

"So I tell the chick to get on her knees and I tell the guy to get on the bed. She sucks me for a while and it's alright but I really want to be in that sweet ass on the bed. So I tell the chick to sit on the bed, relax and enjoy the show and I ask if I can use her dress. She doesn't even ask why, just hands it to me and gets on the bed and starts touching herself. So I grab the pretty boy and I tie him to the bed post with her dress and I get that lube you left in the drawers, you sly bastard." Damon laughed at that; he made it a point to stock his rooms with supplies for all kinds of hook-ups. When party favors were involved, it was always better to be prepared.

"He's moaning and groaning and begging me to give it to him, so I did. I fucked him hard and fast, twice. He was really pretty Damon, I kind of wish I took a picture to show you."

"I'm sure I'll see him later," Damon chuckled. "What happened to the chick?"

"Well see…after I started fucking him the second time…everything goes black," Tyler said sheepishly and finished off his pancakes and his glass of water. "I don't know if she got off watching us or even if I finished fucking him."

"You mean you had two people in your bed and you only fucked one of them _maybe_ one time?" his friend asked incredulously. "What the fuck is wrong with you man? Go back up there and finish the job!"

"I can't—I have to go!" Tyler laughed. "Plus I shouldn't have done that, considering I'm engaged in all."

"Oh please, like anyone would stay faithful to that cunt. She's probably having freaky sex sessions of her own," Damon scoffed as he poured another mimosa. "Daddy's little girl isn't as innocent as she'd like people to believe. So would you take either of them under your wing?" he asked as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Nah, the girl was too wild and the guy was done after round two. He wouldn't make it in a real session," Tyler said non-committedly. "I need a sub with more stamina than that."

"That's why we train them Tyler. Honestly you haven't seen anyone you really wanted as a sub since that Corey kid. What ever happened to him?"

"He went to college across country; said that if he couldn't have a real relationship with me then he couldn't even be in the same city because it hurt too much. Can you believe that?" Tyler scoffed as he helped himself to some fruit. "I've never seen someone cry so much when I rejected them. It made me feel really bad."

"You would feel worse if he was still living at your house, trust me," Damon laughed and took another sip.

"I guess so. I told him I was sorry, he just wasn't the one I wanted to be with—you know he called me heartless dick?"

"Everyone calls you that."

"I don't know what I did to deserve that title—I'm one of the nicest people I know."

"But you're a ruthless business man just like your father was and that's all the public sees. The media are like vultures; all they ever do is just wait for a moment to tear and pick you apart and then talk about it for days and wonder why the hell everyone is demonizing you. It's disgusting."

"Very thoughtful Damon, I didn't know you cared," Tyler teased. Damon kicked him under the table while he laughed. Tyler finished the last of his breakfast and threw his napkin on his plate. "Thank you for breakfast but I've got a lot of work to do, you know how it is trying to run a multimillion dollar company and all."

"Yeah, yeah. That's just your excuse to eat my food and leave me bored all day. I feel like you just use me for my weed and my parties."

"And your food," Tyler laughed. "My annual Christmas party is in a couple of weeks, I'm sure you'll be getting an invitation in the mail today or tomorrow. If you don't, Stefan will have one."

"Oh you would invite Stefan," Damon said wickedly and Tyler rolled his eyes.

"We're _friends_, Damon, of course I invited him…did I mention Katherine's going to be there?"

Tyler laughed when Damon's eyes narrowed and a predatory smirk spread across his face. "You failed to mention that. I'll check my schedule but I should be free that day."

"Good. Later you crazy bastard," Tyler said and waved at him as he made his way to his car.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo**

When he arrived home he gave the keys of his posh Audi sports car to the valet and walked up the three flights of stairs leading to his front door. The Lockwood Mansion was a vast piece of property, stretching across one and a half acres of land, making it the largest house in the city of Nivea. Its Mediterranean style often made Tyler feel like he was in a foreign country; there were vines that fell gracefully all over the walls, a large fountain was set in the middle of the courtyard and there were statues placed here and there for further decoration. Tyler pushed the handle of one of the dark-wood doors with a glass center and it opened to the foyer with shiny, crème marble floors and a massive chandelier hanging in the direct center. He walked past the twin staircases on opposite sides and into the sitting room, making his way through the living room and into the bar. He smirked when he found who he was looking for.

"Isn't it a little early to be drinking?" he asked the brunette woman sipping on a martini. Her sharp, brown eyes looked him over and she gave a smirk of her own.

"It is never too early according to your mother. I am sure you have not stopped drinking since last night," she murmured, her Bulgarian accent making her voice sound husky. "How was the party? I would have gone but the staff at La Fenêtre Ouverte was insistent on getting rid of the remaining summer clothes to make room for more winter fashions."

"No you don't. You would've gotten bored and came home to Caroline."

"You are probably right," she smirked as she thought of the pretty, sleeping blonde. "How was Mr. Salvatore?"

"Missing you," Tyler laughed as he poured himself a shot of whiskey and drank it in seconds. "He was disappointed when he couldn't find you."

"I will have to give him a call, I have missed him as well," Katherine said as she sat down her drink and flipped her sleek brown curls behind her. "Did you find another submissive you are interested in, _frère_?"

"No…none of those people were the submissive types," Tyler muttered. It was getting difficult to find a submissive that he was actually interested in and who actually wanted to submit to him without wanting more. He couldn't afford to be more with anyone, seeing as he was getting married by the end of next summer.

"You are so picky," she sighed as she traced the rim of her glass. "Do you know how many people have been trying to get into your bed? You could have anyone you want."

"I know but it's not that simple," he sighed. "I want someone who will give me total and complete control, someone who trusts me enough to dominate them completely and allow me to take care of them, no questions asked. I want someone who understands that I can't be any more than their Dominant because I have other arrangements," he sighed again.

"I wish your mother chose a better woman. _Cette pute _—she is disgusting," Katherine spat. "Does she not realize whose daughter she is?"

"She knows perfectly well but she and Michel have made arrangements; there's a contract involved," Tyler sighed. "If either one of us breaks it, we'll be paying a lot of money to the other."

Katherine wrinkled her nose, "I suppose that makes sense. But she is not the woman for you. None of these _putes avides d'argent _we associate with are worthy of you."

Tyler chuckled, "If you say so Katherine. You know…Mother's been trying to set you up with Damon."

"I know, she has told me that we would be a good match. I do not think we would make a good husband and wife couple."

"Because of Caroline?" he asked teasingly and she smiled slightly.

"She is one reason, yes. But I do not think that she would want us to be married if she knew of our past. It would be like if you were to marry Stefan."

"Hopefully she never finds out, thought something tells me she knows," Tyler muttered as he took another shot of whiskey.

"Of course she would know_. _Mason has probably told her," she finished the rest of her glass in one gulp. "I am inviting my associates to the Christmas party next week, is that alright with you?"

"Yeah that's fine; put them on the guest list. More people have been trying to get on but we need to keep it short. I don't want the house too crowded and alcohol is expensive."

"I understand. Maybe you will find a new submissive, no? I know you must miss having one; it has been a while since I have seen you with a pet."

"Maybe," Tyler said with a small smile in her direction. "Maybe they'll be long-term like Caroline."

"She does need a friend; I know she gets lonely during the day." She watched as Tyler took another shot and smirked. "I thought it was too early to be drinking?"

"It's never too early when you don't have to go to work," Tyler said as he threw back another drink. He thought he probably should stop drinking however; it wasn't a health habit to start to drink during the day and he already had a hangover from the night before.

"Is something bothering you _frère_? I have not seen you like this in a long time."

"No," he murmured quickly, ducking his head when Katherine raised an eyebrow at him. "I'll get over it."

"Talk to me, Tyler," the 'r' rolled off her tongue smoothly. "Something has been bothering you for months."

Before he could answer his cellphone rang, the ringtone he chose for the office interrupting their conversation. Tyler groaned and pressed his iPhone to his ear. "Yes?"

Katherine watched the emotions pass over her brother's face; to someone who didn't know them, they would not be able to see a change in the normally passive Lockwood's expression but Katherine could see the way the corners of his mouth turned down slightly and his brow furrowed when he talked to his associate, indicating that the news was not good.

"I'll be there in an hour," he sighed and he ended the call. He growled in annoyance, "They need me in the office; someone broke through the firewalls and might be trying to get the security codes."

"Is it Michel?"

"Probably, but that bastard is smart, he knows we won't trace it back to him. He kissed Katherine on the cheek and walked out of the bar, calling over his shoulder, "If my mother comes by, tell her I'll be back for dinner."

Katherine sighed as she heard the front door close; things with Michel had been getting worse lately. Tyler and Michel clashed so much she wondered how marriage to his daughter would improve their relationship. Katherine didn't think anything could ever improve that, especially forcing someone as stubborn as Tyler into an unwanted marriage.

She left her glass on the counter and walked back upstairs to her room, a rare, soft smile gracing her face as she saw Caroline still asleep in the position she left her in. Quietly she sat on her bed, threading her fingers through the smooth blonde hair. She was grateful for her day off so she could spend time with her darling; she had been missing her dearly as of late and she knew Caroline missed her as well.

* * *

Jeremy sighed as he placed another tub full of dirty dishes next to the sink, prepared to wash them when Megan tapped him on the shoulder. "Go take a break Jeremy; you've been going since six this morning."

"Thanks," he smiled in relief as she handed him a bowl of salad and a plate of grilled salmon with wild rice and vegetables, one of the specials of the day. He went out to the floor and found a table in a secluded corner and dug into his food. He was halfway through his meal when he was startled by someone sitting across from him.

"Where's my free plate?"

"You have to pay for it," Jeremy chuckled as he took another bite. "I thought your break was later in the afternoon?"

"Well yeah…I'm having Amy cover for me. I just couldn't wait to tell you this!" Bonnie Bennett beamed at him as if Christmas was tomorrow and everyone got a day off. "You know who Tyler Lockwood is?"

"Who doesn't know him? He owns half the city including this restaurant," Jeremy snorted. From what he had read in the tabloids, the billionaire was cold, ruthless and completely emotionless. Jeremy shivered at the thought of ever being in his presence. "He's in here all the time and everyone's always fawning over him."

"Isn't he just gorgeous?" Bonnie gushed; then she quickly changed the subject, "You know how I work for his website _IBSN_?"

"The international social networking website for people with businesses?"

"Right! Well see…every year he hosts this Christmas party and his sister Katherine does the New Year's party and both of them are legendary. I'm talking top shelf alcohol and everyone drives their expensive cars and they rent the most expensive ball gowns for this event and don't even get me started on the shoes—"

"Bonnie, focus," Jeremy interrupted.

"Right, sorry. So these parties are super exclusive and super, super posh and only the higher ups and people well acquainted with the Lockwood's are invited. So I was sitting at my desk listening to these girls talk about how every year they wish that Mr. Lockwood would invite them personally and then one of them says there's a guest list you have to get on but it's got passwords protecting it for days so not just _anyone_ can add themselves. So…" she trailed off with a huge smile and Jeremy laughed.

"So…?"

"So I got Amy to break the codes because she really good with that stuff and she set off major alarms but…she got us on the guest list!" she squealed and Jeremy felt the smile falling off his face.

"What do you mean _us_?"

"I mean me and you silly! Amy has to go to a funeral and she can't get out of it because it's her grandma or someone she was close to…so I figure who better to bring than my best friend!"

"No," Jeremy said automatically, feeling guilty at Bonnie's slightly crestfallen look. "Bonnie I have to work and you know I don't do well with people."

"Come _on_ Jere, live a little! You can't work all the time and let life pass you by!"

"And what do you think is going to happen when they see us and they don't recognize us at all? Think about it; the people who go to these parties are probably regulars, they're going to know we don't belong there the moment they see us."

"So does that mean you're in?" she beamed and he shook his head.

"Nope, I'm not getting caught up in this," he muttered as he finished his lunch and stood up. "I've gotta get back to work."

"Jeremy!" she whined as she stood too, intending to follow him. "This is seriously a once in a lifetime thing! Haven't you ever wondered what it would be like to have the life of a rich person?"

_All the time_ Jeremy thought to himself but he didn't voice this. Instead he walked back to the kitchen speedily, Bonnie hot on his heels. Jeremy knew she wouldn't quit until he agreed to go but he thought maybe she would get bored of pestering him after a while. "This is a bad idea Bonnie; I really don't think you should do this."

"Please Jeremy? Just do something for me for one night! After this I will never ask you to do anything like this ever again."

"You ask me every year to go to your company's party," Jeremy reminded her. "And I always tell you no."

"All the more reason for you to say _yes_ to this! Please Jeremy? It would really mean a lot and…and I miss hanging out with you," Bonnie pleaded and Jeremy made the mistake of looking at her puppy-dog face. He inwardly cursed; that face usually made him cave, mostly because he did try to avoid Bonnie so he wouldn't end up in situations like this. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I'll think about it," he muttered.

"Yay! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" she screamed as she wrapped him in a bear hug, catching him off guard. He tensed but tried to relax and he hugged her back awkwardly; he had an intense fear of people touching him, especially men, and he often had to remind himself that it was okay for Bonnie to do this because they were friends.

"Okay so the party is next Saturday so make sure you get that day off! We're going to have to rent you a suit—don't give me that look, I've got you covered Jere, it's no big deal—and I have to make sure you match with me and oh! I'm going to need my hair and nails done—"

"Don't you have a job to get back to?" Jeremy asked as he started washing dishes again. Bonnie seemed to remember as well. "Oh crap I forgot about Amy! I'll see you later Jere! I'm so glad you're coming!" she gave him another surprise hug and ran out of the kitchen, nearly running into a waiter carrying a stack of dirty plates. Jeremy laughed and shook his head; Bonnie was so crazy sometimes. He supposed that was why he liked her; she made his world a little less dreary. He sighed as he went back to his task and tried to convince himself that he didn't just make a big mistake.

* * *

**Please review and let me know what you think! Thank you :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the reviews! I'm glad you guys are at least interested in this story. Again, I'm only going off of what I've researched about BDSM so bear with me on that. Also, if any of you guys read my other story Wait For It it should be updated later today or early tomorrow. Now onto the next chapter! And please review, I would really appreciate knowing what you guys think of this stroy :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries or the characters associated with it. I just own the city of Nivea, the minor characters I made up, and this plot.**

* * *

The next week flew by and before Jeremy knew it, it was the day of the party. When he woke up that morning and realized he could sleep in for once he was overjoyed but that joy quickly left him when he remembered why he had taken a much needed day off. His stomach twisted uncomfortably and he rolled onto his side, wrapping his arms around himself. He didn't like social gatherings; in fact he was absolutely terrified to be in a place with too many people. People scared him and he was scared of being touched, something Bonnie completely ignored, and he was being forced to go to a gathering not only with a bunch of filthy rich people he didn't know, but there was a very good chance something bad would happen to him and Bonnie if they were caught. Not to mention there would probably be alcohol and things became more out of control with alcohol involved.

Jeremy whimpered as he ducked his head under his blankets to try and stave off his eminent panic attack; he didn't know why he let Bonnie talk him into this. He _knew_ he wasn't good with crowds yet here he was freaking out because he couldn't say no to his best friend. Maybe he should pretend to be sick; Bonnie couldn't make him go then.

"_Come on Jere, live a little! You can't work all the time and let life pass you by!"_

Bonnie's words popped in his head and he sighed heavily. She was right, of course; he couldn't spend all of his time working. But that was what suited him best; he wasn't required to talk or come in contact with many people and he could keep to himself. The restaurant was hardly ever crowded, only on the days when Tyler Lockwood decided to eat there did the restaurant get more patrons then they were used too. Jeremy shivered; Tyler Lockwood seemed like a cold man on the outside but he had a feeling there was more to him if you got to know him. Jeremy remembered sometimes seeing him sitting alone at a table in the back (which the manager dubbed 'Mr. Lockwood's personal table) sipping his coffee and just staring out the window, lost in his own world. He supposed it must have been hard to run so many different things all at once; the stress of all the pressure to make sure each business venture succeeded would drive him insane. He had to agree with Bonnie though; the man was absolutely gorgeous. Any woman would be lucky to have him, Jeremy sighed mentally. Someone as handsome as Lockwood probably had most women in this city and the neighboring cities in his bed; anyone would be a fool to turn him down. Jeremy had heard he was engaged to a socialite named Rebekah Mikaelson but that was about as much as Jeremy knew concerning celebrities. He didn't have time to worry about the lives of others when he could barely get his own under control.

Jeremy's stomach rumbled loudly and he sat up, stretching his arms over his head. He looked at the picture next to his alarm and picked it up, a small, sad smile gracing his face.

"I wish you were here," he murmured as he traced his parent's faces. As he put the picture down, he read the time as 11:07 A.M. Sighing again he stood and walked to his bathroom, mentally preparing himself for tonight's events.

* * *

"What the hell is your problem?" Tyler snapped into his phone. "I'm throwing a Christmas party, not some wild orgy!"

"A party where you always have alcohol, drugs and your dirty little whores!" Rebekah Mikaelson snapped back. "And you didn't even bother to send an invitation. Father isn't pleased with you."

"I don't give a flying fuck about your father! He's always mad about something so quite honestly, he can kiss my ass!" Tyler growled in annoyance as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Whatever Tyler. I'll see you at the party," she snipped before she hung up. Tyler resisted the urge to throw his phone.

"Fucking bitch," he snarled. He hated when Rebekah went into one of her bitch-fits. She always made sure no one was happy, especially him. He sighed heavily and lay back on his bed, covering his eyes with his arm; he didn't know how in the world he was supposed to go through with this marriage if he couldn't stand his bride and her father was out to destroy him and his company. Tyler didn't understand why his mother would choose her of all people to be his wife; she was nothing but a hag that wanted to live off his money and make him miserable. He was certain that her father was into illegal businesses;the man couldn't have gotten so filthy rich solely from the security business he ran. Plus it was no secret that Michel wanted control of his father's empire. Tyler also had a feeling he had to do with his father's death; he just needed to find evidence but the bastard was slick. He knew how to cover his tracks well.

A knock on the door interrupted his angry ranting; he called for them to come in and the door opened, revealing his mother. "Tyler, are you alright? You sounded angry a few seconds ago."

"It's nothing," he said quickly as she sat beside him. Carol Lockwood smoothed her son's hair back as she looked at him carefully; something with him had been off lately and she was worried. Tyler didn't think she noticed but she was far more observant that he believed she was.

"Is everything in place for the party tonight?" she asked. Tyler nodded and ran a hand through his dark hair, a habit he picked up while learning the frustrating rules of running a business.

"Yes. The guests will be arriving at eight and there will be security at every door. The caterer's will start preparing the food at seven thirty so it will be warm when the guests arrive."

"Excellent. You've become quite the event planner," she smiled and he gave him a small one in return. "But that isn't what I'm here to talk to you about."

He frowned slightly as he turned to face her, "What's wrong?"

She hesitated for a moment. "Are you alright honey? I know you've been under a lot of pressure lately with the website's upgrades and the future of The Pier."

"The Pier will be saved, we just need a good plan to rebuild it and make it a place people will enjoy without my presence necessary all the time. The website's upgrades will happen next week; we're talking with some Spanish and French businesses to see what they're offering and how much they want to charge us for a spot on the website."

"Very good," she praised. "You have your father's charm and uncanny business skills. You're doing a wonderful job, Tyler. He would be so proud of you."

"Thanks mom," he said quietly with a small smile, a pang hitting his heart at the mention of his father. He glanced at the ring he wore on his left index finger; it had been his father's class ring that he had given to Tyler on his eleventh birthday. Tyler couldn't remember his father never wearing that ring until he gave it to him.

"I miss him too," she murmured as she looked at the ring on her son's hand. "Not a day goes by when I don't think about him."

"Me either," he whispered. Many thought that the Lockwood's were a cold family that would rather spend more time at the office with their associates than with their own families but that couldn't have been further from the truth. Richard Lockwood was as every bit a family man as the next guy; whenever he could skip out on going to work, he would take it just to see his family. It pained Tyler that he didn't get to spend more time with his father before he passed away.

"He would be very proud of you. Like I am," she kissed his forehead and stood, preparing to leave. When she reached the door she turned back and gave her son a small smile, "Try not to have _too_ much fun tonight. I don't want to hear Michel complaining to me again about how you mistreat his little girl."

Tyler snorted and ducked his head, hiding his own smile, "Yeah, alright."

When she exited the room he let out another breath and groaned loudly as he lay back on his silk, dark green sheets; part of his problem was Rebekah and her father constantly breathing down his neck to be a better fiancé. Tyler guessed if he actually wanted to marry the girl he would try respect her, hell even if she had been someone else he didn't want to marry he would give her the respect she deserved. His father always taught him that women were the reason men and every living creature on earth was able to exist, therefore men should treat them with the respect and appreciation they deserved. Rebekah, however, made it so hard for Tyler to even like her, especially when she was always bitching about everything he did. It didn't help that she and Katherine clashed almost as much as they did; his sister's opinion meant a great deal to him, as much as his mother's.

His door opened as Katherine walked in, her hair thrown up in a loose bun, her face flushed as she donned an off-shoulder sweater that was long enough to cover her bottom. It was obvious what she had just been doing and Tyler smirked when he saw her. "Is that Caroline's sweater?"

"You know we can share clothes, we wear the same size." She rolled her eyes at him. "My mother wanted to know if you wanted her to help with the party tonight. I told her it was _nécessaire pas_ but she insisted."

"Tell Anelie thank you but I will allow her to have her time off. She already works all day for my mother; she doesn't need to come here too."

"_Vrai_, but you know how my mother is. She was raised to cook and clean and tidy the home. She feels lost when we give her days off."

"Must be a Bulgarian thing," Tyler teased. Katherine stuck her tongue out with a smile before walking out of the room. Tyler sighed as he headed to his elegant bathroom; he needed to start preparing himself for his guests and for Rebekah's unwanted appearance.

* * *

Meanwhile across town, Abby Bennett fiddled with the tie she lent Jeremy for the evening, tying it slowly and making sure it wasn't too tight.

"There we go," she stepped back to look at her handiwork. "Jeremy you can breathe, right honey?"

"Yeah this is good, thanks Mrs. Bennett," Jeremy said with a kind smile. Abby laughed and ruffled his hair.

"When are you going to start calling me Abby? You're like my son—a son that has been too busy to come see me!"

"I know; I'm sorry. I just have a lot of hours at the restaurant," he said sheepishly as he ducked his head. He couldn't say the real reason he avoided her was because she reminded him so much of his own mother that it hurt.

"Well whenever you want to have a home-cooked meal or you need someone to talk to or any help at all you know where to find me, okay? And you know where to find Bonnie, though she's just as busy these days with school and work. Where are you going again?"

"It's a party for my job, I asked Jeremy to be my date," Bonnie answered as she flounced into the room in a long-sleeve, gold and black mini dress and shiny black pumps. She spun in a quick circle, "How do I look?"

"Glamorous!" her mother beamed. "I have to take a picture of you two, now let me see where I put my camera…" she left the room. Bonnie looked Jeremy up and down and smiled appreciatively. "Wow Jere, you clean up nice. Are you sure you're gay?"

"I'm pretty positive," he laughed. "But thanks Bon. You don't look so bad yourself."

"I know," she said cheekily as she spun again. "We have to look important if we're going to mingle with important people and do a little snooping."

"Wait—what? You didn't mention we would be snooping!" Jeremy could feel panic and dread begin to seep into his stomach.

Bonnie laughed, "Seriously Jere? We're going to be in the mansion of _the_ Tyler Lockwood and you didn't think we'd be looking around? Haven't you always wondered what he was really like?"

Jeremy couldn't deny that from time to time he, like many others, wanted to know something about the private lives of the Lockwood's, though he was sure he didn't dwell on it constantly like everyone else seemed to.

"I—I mean I guess so…but isn't that rude to look around someone's home without their permission?"

"He's not even going to know we're looking because he'll be so busy with his guests! Oooh, you want to know what I heard?" Bonnie lowered her voice after making sure her mother was still preoccupied. "I hear that he's into really kinky sex. Like BDSM kind of stuff. He likes tying people up and spanking them and gagging them and all of that!"

"Where'd you hear this?" Jeremy asked uneasily. Talking about sex of any kind made him uncomfortable.

"One of my co-workers—you know all the girls like to gossip, I can't deny I do too—but apparently Cecilia, this girl who does advertising with me, says that she knows someone whose brother was his _slave,_" she murmured in fascinated awe. Jeremy would have laughed if he wasn't about to enter this man's house for a party he shouldn't have even _heard_ about to investigate if this very bit of information was true. "How kinky is that?"

"Y-yeah, pretty wild," Jeremy mumbled as he fiddled with his cuffs. Bonnie didn't seem to notice his uneasy demeanor as she continued talking.

"I can't imagine what that must be like—to be Tyler Lockwood's slave and let him do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, _wherever_ he wants to you. I _know_ there have to be people in the office who are into that lifestyle—" she gasped in sudden realization. "There have to be people who have _been_ his slaves! That's so crazy! And I hear he likes women _and _men…I wonder if Amy knows anyone whose done it…" she trailed off, lost in thought for a moment before turning to Jeremy with a serious expression, "If you had the chance to be with him—if it was only in that way, I mean—would you do it?"

Jeremy was saved from answering when Abby came back into the room with her professional, digital camera. "Okay guys! Give me some big smiles!"

**Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

An hour later found Jeremy and Bonnie standing outside the huge mansion that was the Lockwood home. People were talking and laughing in the courtyard wearing their expensive dresses they ordered months in advance for this night chatting before they went inside. Jeremy was sure the massive fountain in the center that had ivy placed around it would be worth a year's rent for him. He couldn't deny the envy he felt as he took in the mansion once more; he could only dream of owning a place like this one day.

"People said this place was huge and I always see it on TV but…it's so _big_ in person," Bonnie said in quiet awe. Jeremy found himself nodding in agreement; there was nothing like seeing it in person.

"There's a lot of people here," he said trying to sound casual to hide the fear that crept back inside him. Bonnie slipped her hand in the fold of his arm and they walked to the front doors as confidently as possible. When they got to the front door (Jeremy surmised both doors were worth the price of eight year's worth of rent money altogether) they were stopped by a tall, broad man dressed in black from head to toe, a plastic ear piece visible behind his left ear. He looked the two up and down before looking at their faces once more.

"Names?" he droned. Jeremy couldn't imagine how bored he must have been.

"Thalia Gordon and Ryon Lindon," Bonnie rattled off without a hint of nervousness. Jeremy resisted the urge to look at her; she hadn't mentioned they would have fake names. The man looked at his list again before he nodded. "In you go."

"Thanks," she said a bit snobbishly before leading Jeremy inside. He felt his heart speed up as they entered the foyer that was decked out in strings of white Christmas lights; on the giant chandelier above them, mistletoe had been placed and it reflected the light, making spots of red appear on the walls and on the marble floors that had been polished so nicely Jeremy could see his reflection. Jazz music could be heard further into the house, along with the voice of what sounded like a lot of people; too many people for Jeremy to handle. Before he could come up with an excuse Bonnie was dragging him into the living room and bar where blue and white lights lit the scene. Waiters walked around holding treys of champagne, red wine, finger sandwiches, h'orderves, and shrimp wrapped in bacon. Bonnie let go of Jeremy to grab a flute of champagne for each of them and she handed his to him, grinning excitedly.

"I can't believe we pulled this off! Amy is going to _die_!" she squealed and Jeremy couldn't help but laugh despite his discomfort.

"Yeah, you pulled it off _Thalia_."

She hit his arm as he laughed. She sighed happily, "I amaze myself sometimes," she gushed and held her glass out to Jeremy's. "To my successful plan!"

Jeremy grinned and knocked his flute against hers slightly before taking a sip. He wasn't a fan of alcohol so he was skeptical about trying champagne but he found it wasn't that bad. He could see why the rich would buy bottles and bottles of it. Bonnie finished her glass in one gulp and Jeremy laughed when she started looking for the waiters to grab another.

"I think you're supposed to drink it slowly," Jeremy chuckled. Bonnie laughed with him and shrugged.

"It was good! You really can't expect to just sip on something that tastes so smooth—I bet they have the top shelf liquor somewhere around here," she got a mischievous glint in her eyes and Jeremy's smile quickly disappeared.

"Oh no, you can't get drunk. That will definitely give us away."

To his relief, Bonnie seemed to agree with him. "That's true. Alright, no getting drunk…but only because I don't want to get thrown out of this sweet shindig! This is amazing!"

"It is really nice," Jeremy agreed, watching as people talked and laughed with one another without a care in the world. He felt a little disheartened at this; everyone at this party had money. They had expensive clothes and fancy cars and they didn't have a care in the world. They had no idea how people like him barely made their ends meet and they probably didn't care, why should they? As long as their needs were met, why should they worry about anyone else's? The bit of excitement he felt at actually seeing the inside of the Lockwood Mansion was diminished by his negative thoughts of having to soon return to the real world, where he had next to nothing.

About an hour into the party, Jeremy could tell who had had too much to drink; people were now attempting to dance while the talking had gotten noticeably louder. They had yet to see Tyler or his sister as they had ventured to the bar, the dining room and the game room. They had just sat on the nice, beige couch when Bonnie turned to him with a mischievous look.

"You know, this is as perfect time as any to go investigate!" she exclaimed and she stood, pulling Jeremy with her and wrapped her arm around his, leading him towards the stairs. Jeremy stopped; his panic coming back full force.

"Bonnie, I don't think this is such a good idea—"

"Yes Jeremy, it's a _very_ good idea," Bonnie interrupted as she dragged him forcefully upstairs. Luckily for them, they didn't encounter and security upstairs as they looked in the first two rooms, which seemed to be a study and a bathroom. The third room was locked and Bonnie frowned, "This must be his bedroom. Why is it locked?"

"He probably knew people would try and sneak a peek at his stuff," Jeremy said pointedly. "So maybe we should just forget about it and go back downstairs—"

"No! I am _not_ passing up this golden opportunity," Bonnie said with newfound determination as she walked to the next room. She pushed the door gently and it opened slightly; she turned to Jeremy and he met her expression of surprise.

"No, Bonnie don't—!" Jeremy begged but she already went inside. Jeremy lifted his head to the ceiling and groaned in exasperation, quickly checking that no one was watching him before following his friend.

He found himself standing in what looked like a sitting room; there were two white and two deep red couches lined against the wall. The room was painted a dark red and the only sources of light were the candles that were held in holders along the walls. On the other side of the room there were two doors, both the same dark mahogany color of the front doors minus the glass in the middle, a candle in a holder situated on the wall between them. Even though there was nothing in the room, it was nothing short of elegant.

"What do you think is behind those doors?" Bonnie asked quietly, excitement and curiosity evident in her voice.

"I don't know; something tells me we won't like what we find," Jeremy murmured, worry and fear seeping into his voice. He was sure someone would be up here any minute to kick them out for going places they didn't belong. Bonnie ignored his subtle warning and walked to the door on the left; she twisted the handle and gave the same surprised look to Jeremy as she did minutes before when the door cracked open. She opened it wider before closing it some and looking at Jeremy in disbelief, "There's someone in there!"

Jeremy's eyes widened; they were done for. "What are you doing? Close the door!" he hissed frantically.

"She's sleeping," Bonnie whispered and opened the door again, wider than before. Jeremy groaned inwardly, trying to keep his panic at bay as he looked behind him at the door again before going to look in the door Bonnie held open, his curiosity winning at the moment.

The room was vast; the white carpet looked as if your feet could sink into it, the walls were a beautiful royal blue while the ceiling was gold with intricate designs in white spread across. There were no visible lights on the walls or on the ceiling; there were the same candle holders with white and blue candles that matched the walls; they gave off a calming scent that smelled of laundry detergent. There was a king-sized bed against the wall in the middle of the room near a large window that was covered with golden curtains that matched the ceiling.

In the bed, a blonde girl slept peacefully; her curls looked smooth and soft and she wore a soft-looking grey sweater, her lower half covered by the down comforter. Bonnie shook Jeremy's arm and pointed to the chains hanging down from each corner of the bed. At the end of each chain there was a leather cuff. Bonnie ventured deeper into the room, much to Jeremy's dismay, and she took one of the cuffs in her hand, examining it. Jeremy looked back at the first door nervously; it would be just their luck if they were caught right now in someone's bedroom when she was obviously unaware of their presence.

"Its leather," Bonnie whispered as she carefully placed the cuff back on the bed. The blonde girl let out a sigh, making Bonnie and Jeremy freeze; she shifted under the blankets and rolled over onto her stomach, never opening her eyes. Both teens let out an inaudible sigh of relief and Bonnie tiptoed out of the room. Jeremy shut the door quietly and turned to see Bonnie staring at him wide-eyed.

"She has to be his slave!" she squealed quietly. "I should have taken a picture!"

"No!" Jeremy hissed in alarm. "Don't go back in there!"

Bonnie pouted. "Fine…I wonder what's in this room?" she walked to the other door and twisted it carefully, pushing it open and doing a mini dance when it cracked. Jeremy nearly had a heart attack; how much did Bonnie need to see before she was satisfied?

"Bonnie, can we _please_ go back?" Jeremy pleaded as he followed her into the next room. "I really don't think we should be doing this."

"Fine, this is the last room," Bonnie conceded before she looked around the brown and red room. "This one is just as nice as the other one but why does he have two nearly identical rooms?"

"Don't know…in case the other room is unusable?" Jeremy shrugged as he ventured deeper into the room. He picked up one of the chains with the leather cuffs and he shivered; what the hell went on in this house? He didn't think he wanted to know.

"Jeremy, look at this," Bonnie breathed as she pulled out a string of thick, white beads. Jeremy blushed; he'd seen those before. "Bonnie, put that back! You don't know where that's been!"

"They're clean—I hope!" she said, her face one of disgust as she put them back and rummaged through the drawer some more, gasping quietly at her discoveries. "Jesus Jeremy…this guy is super freaky!"

Jeremy came behind her and looked over her shoulder, shuddering at what he saw; anal beads, clothespins, a ring of some sort, silk ties and various other devices that he didn't want to know about. Tyler Lockwood, it seemed, had some serious issues…or was just really into rough sex.

"I think I've seen enough," Jeremy whispered weakly as Bonnie closed the drawer quietly, feeling a bit queasy.

"Well you're already looking in my drawers; you might as well look through the rest of my stuff to see what you can find."

Jeremy and Bonnie jumped when they heard an unfamiliar voice behind him; his heart leapt into his throat and Bonnie let out a gasp of surprise as they both whirled around wide-eyed and came face to face with a smirking Tyler Lockwood.

* * *

**Reviews are love! :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow, you guys rock! Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! I'm glad this story seems to be a hit! And now I present chapter three :)**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

* * *

"I have more toys around here, but they're hidden," Tyler continued as if he were having a casual conversation with his friends. "I make sure I put them away when I'm having guests over. I don't want them knowing about my…hobbies."

The smile Tyler was giving them was creeping Jeremy out; if he didn't know better, the man was threatening them for trespassing and this probably wouldn't turn out well for him or Bonnie. He cried inwardly; this would happen to him.

"I would give you a tour but it seems you already started," his smirk seemed permanently stuck on his face as he watched them. "So I would like to know who are you and what are you doing in my personal room?" Tyler asked with a raised eyebrow. Bonnie stared at him, mouth opening and closing like a gaping fish and Jeremy kept his head down to hide the fear he was sure was clear in his eyes. Tyler's eyes locked on Jeremy's form and he felt a stirring in his nether regions; he looked so sweet and innocent and submissive.

"Uh—we just…we were looking for the, uh...the bathroom and we—"

"You were going to the bathroom together?" Tyler asked with a hint of amusement. "The bathroom, by the way, was the first door on the left…though there is a bathroom downstairs that no one else seems to have had a problem finding."

Bonnie tried to smile but it came out as a nervous grimace; Jeremy gulped and finally raised his head, his scared brown eyes meeting Tyler's calculating ones. He wanted to look away but he felt as if he was stuck.

"I've seen you before," Tyler eyes traveled back to Bonnie. "Have we met?"

"Ah…ah no, sir!" Bonnie stuttered. "I…I work for y-your social networking company—"

"Oh that's right; I know where I've seen you," Tyler said snapping his fingers in mock thought. "You're one of the girls on the lower floor that likes to gossip about me and my 'kinky fantasies.'" His smirk grew as he watched Bonnie's expression turn into one of horrified embarrassment. "I don't recall inviting any of your floor or the ones below you."

"Um…um—sir I—" Bonnie lost her words as she looked at Jeremy for help; Jeremy shrugged helplessly at her. Tyler's burning eyes locked on his form once more before going back to Bonnie. "What's your name?"

"Bonnie—Bonnie Bennett," she whispered in shame. Jeremy cringed; could this get any worse? Was Tyler going to destroy them completely before throwing them out or worse, humiliating them in front of the press? He could already see the headlines.

"Well Bonnie, I'm going to give you two choices," Tyler started, the smirk never leaving his face. "You can leave right now before I choose to fire you and be grateful I'm not, or you could go back downstairs to the party and stay out of my sight because if I see you again tonight, I will fire you and I'll call the police since, you know, you're technically trespassing on a private event. You understand?"

Bonnie let out a sharp breath as her brown eyes met Tyler's cold ones. "Yes, sir," she mumbled.

Tyler smiled sickeningly, "Good. Go, now."

Bonnie and Jeremy both walked quickly to the door as quick as they could before Tyler's voice stopped them again.

"I never said you could go, just her," he nodded at Bonnie. Jeremy felt his heart beat painfully in his chest as he turned around to Tyler's smirking face. Bonnie opened her mouth and closed it multiple times before finally getting her voice to work.

"B-But he's with me—"

"And you were dismissed, your friend wasn't," Tyler said, his eyes burning into Jeremy's soul. He felt as if he was being set on fire and burned alive by that intense stare.

Bonnie grabbed Jeremy's arm and he found himself shaking her hand off, much to his surprise. "It—It's alright Bonnie; I'll catch up with you later."

"Jeremy—"

"Go, its fine." He smiled as reassuringly as he could to her, thought he could feel the pure terror coursing through him. She nodded and squeezed for comfort before leaving the room quickly, leaving Jeremy alone with Tyler.

Jeremy watched her leave while clenching and unclenching his hands, wondering what the hell was supposed to happen to him now.

"I'm surprised you stayed, I would have expected you to leave," Tyler said in slight shocked. Jeremy finally gained the courage to look at him; his stomach churning something terrible.

"Wh-why would you expect that?"

"Because you've been uncomfortable the whole time I've been in here."

"Um—well we were…looking through your stuff," Jeremy mumbled, ducking his head so he wouldn't see Tyler's angry expression. He was surprised to hear laughing and he looked up again.

"I've seen you before too. You work at my restaurant, The Pier," Tyler said. "You always work late shifts."

"I—I work any shift I can get…sir," Jeremy blushed as he scratched the back of his neck. He didn't know why he was suddenly embarrassed of talking about his job. Probably because Tyler didn't have a pathetic job that only made minimum wage.

"Hmm. Why?" Tyler asked curiously. Jeremy looked at him.

"B-Because I need the money."

"I see," he said quietly. "What's your name?"

"Jeremy Gilbert."

"Jeremy Gilbert," Tyler repeated, a slow, sexy smirk crossing his face making Jeremy's heart beat like an African drum and heat race through his veins. "You know…you're very pretty."

"I—uh th-thanks," the teen blushed bright red. Tyler looked him up and down again, this time slowly and clearly appreciating what was in front of him. "So what were you and Ms. Bennett looking for up here?"

Jeremy felt his face heat up in embarrassment, "I…we weren't really looking for anything—"

"Well you were looking for something," Tyler said lowly, smirk turning predatory as he walked closer to Jeremy. The teen felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle at his look and he shivered involuntarily. "Or were you so curious about my sex life that you had to find out for yourself?"

He walked around Jeremy in a slow circle, acting like a lion that was catching her prey. Jeremy's heart was beating so fast he was surprised Tyler couldn't hear it.

"I—I didn't—" he started but then shut his mouth; he couldn't think of an excuse. God only knew what this man was going to do to him, especially now that Bonnie was gone.

"I'm sure you're wondering what these chains are for," he said as he picked up one of the leather cuffs. Jeremy gulped, his voice getting stuck in his throat. "Have you ever seen these before?"

Jeremy shook his head; his voice wasn't working at this point.

"They're bondage cuffs. I had them specially made like this. They're much more comfortable to use than the standard cuffs cops use."

Jeremy gulped, eyes widening as he wondered what the hell Tyler meant by that. He really didn't think he wanted to know, though he couldn't deny to himself that it sounded erotic. Bonnie's earlier question came to his mind and he felt shivers run down his spine.

"Some people like to make marks on the skin, they like to leave a mark as a sign of ownership," Tyler murmured, sounding distracted as he looked over the cuff in his hand, "but I don't. That's not how I would like to be treated if I was going to let someone tie me to a bed. I would want to be as comfortable as possible, wouldn't you?" he looked straight at Jeremy when he asked, his gaze full of lust. Jeremy felt his mouth go dry and he took a step back; what did he mean by ownership?

"I—I guess that makes sense…" Tyler's voice and presence in general was starting to cloud his mind.

"Have you ever been tied to a bed, Jeremy?" Tyler's voice had turned smooth and seductive, his gaze burning and making Jeremy feel hot and bothered. "Have you ever let someone restrain you and you have to trust they won't hurt you? Have you ever given someone else complete control and let them take care of you, let them push you to your limits while all you can do is lie there and take it?"

"I—" Jeremy continued to take small steps backwards and Tyler seemed to follow him with his come-hither dark-brown eyes. "I've never done that, no."

"You should try it, I think you'd find it…liberating," the billionaire's smirk crept back across his face. "It's quite freeing, letting someone take control over things so you don't have to do anything but accept their choices. Letting them take care of you and make decisions for you so you won't have to worry about it. Haven't you ever wanted someone to take care of you?" his voice had dropped a notch lower and Jeremy felt that he should leave before things got weirder than they were.

"I—I should probably go and—and you should get back to your party—"

"You don't want to leave, do you Jeremy?" Tyler had moved behind Jeremy and shut the door, locking it. Jeremy watched him wide-eyed; what the hell was this guy playing at? Was this is way of scaring him? "You want to know how it feels; I can see it in your eyes that you want to know what it's like to submit to someone else."

"You—what are you talking about?" Jeremy finally spit out, sounding more frightened than angry as he started walking backwards toward the bed. "You don't even know me!"

"I know enough to know you want this," Tyler murmured as he stepped in Jeremy's personal space; Jeremy jumped and darted to the left, his back coming in contact with the wall desperate to get away from this man, this dangerous, dangerous man he was sure was going to do weird things to him if he didn't leave right now.

"A little skittish aren't we?" Tyler murmured. "Do I make you nervous Jeremy?"

"I—I need to go," Jeremy said breathlessly, heart pounding so hard he thought it would pound its way out of his chest. He walked to the door shakily and fumbled with the lock for a moment before he got the door open.

"I'll be seeing you, Jeremy Gilbert," Tyler said and Jeremy's head turned to face his smirk. "You won't be able to stay away for too long. You'll be back, I'm sure."

Jeremy pushed the door open with more force than necessary and bolted from the room, Tyler watching him with his smirk.

"I'll definitely be seeing you again," he murmured.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

Rebekah was bored; she was lounging on the white sofa watching the drunken colleagues and associates of her callus fiancé, who she hadn't seen all night, and she wondered why she even wanted to come to this event in the first place. She knew Tyler would ignore her; he hadn't invited her and she insisted on crashing his party anyway, just to see which woman or man he would bring to his bed tonight. She grimaced; Tyler made it no secret he enjoyed both genders in his bed. Sometimes he would brag about his conquests to her, saying he had a boy that was prettier than she was. He had been nothing but cold and nasty to her since their arrangement was made by their parents in an attempt to smooth relations; she couldn't say she was thrilled about their engagement either but at least she attempted to get to know Tyler and be a part of his life. He would have cared less if she would have gotten cancer and died for all the good it did her; not once did he attempt to get to know her and her father didn't make things any better. If anything, their arguments made it so Tyler wouldn't want anything to do with her or her family. Rebekah honestly couldn't understand their animosity towards each other; her father told her it was over business but she had a feeling it went much deeper than that.

Her attention was brought to the foyer where she watched a young man run down the stairs and out the door. She frowned for a moment before finishing the rest of her champagne and standing, placing the empty glass on a passing waiter's tray. She smoothed out her white Dolce and Gabana mini dress and walked to the bar, where her she found her brother. This shocked her; she didn't know he knew Tyler. Maybe he knew Katherine?

"What are you doing here?" she asked haughtily as she approached him. "How did you find out about this party?"

"I'm an associate of the late Mr. Lockwood, didn't father tell you?"

"He didn't, actually. He doesn't tell me a lot of things these days," she said bitterly. She and her father used to be close, then over the years he became more secretive and distant with their whole family, especially when Klaus left.

"Well there must be a reason for that," Elijah said with a smirk. "Perhaps you should just worry about planning your upcoming wedding. Father probably doesn't want you to get any wrinkles so you'll look decent for your husband."

She rolled her eyes, "Charming as ever, Elijah. Why wouldn't you or father tell me you were working with my fiancé? Shouldn't that be something you tell your sister who is marrying into the family?"

"Enjoy the rest of the party, dear sister," Elijah murmured as he slinked off. Rebekah watched him go with a frown. Something was definitely going on and she intended to find out what it was. She did not like being kept in the dark and she would not be the fool who was clueless about her family's activities.

* * *

"Thank God! I thought he killed you or something when you didn't return my calls!" Bonnie exclaimed when she cornered Jeremy on his lunch break three days later. Jeremy lifted his head briefly before going back to his food. He hadn't returned her calls because he didn't know what he was supposed to tell her; that Tyler Lockwood was a major creep? That much was obvious. That he was trying to seduce him by trying to persuade him to try out his leather cuffs? That was beyond creepy. That he, no matter how much he wanted to deny it, was completely turned on by it? That she didn't have to know.

"I've just been really busy," Jeremy said quietly as he finished his sandwich. The memories of Tyler and the party had replayed over and over again in his mind but only one part really stood out to him.

"I'll be seeing you, Jeremy Gilbert."

That one sentence greatly terrified him and greatly aroused him; no one had garnered a reaction from Jeremy like Tyler had. Being scared of people had turned him off to the aspects of dating; though he did think it would be nice to have someone to share your life with, he didn't see how that was possible for him when he was scared to be around another person he didn't know for too long. It was hard enough for him to be around Bonnie when he didn't know her because she was so hyper but overtime he got used to her and his co-workers, who he hardly talked to besides Megan. He knew this fear of people was unhealthy and he should seek help but he didn't have the money; it wouldn't take a therapist to tell him that his problems stemmed from his time in the orphanage and the abuse he suffered at the hands of the other boys there and his multiple adoptive parents.

"Too busy to tell me what happened with my kinky freaky boss after I left? He didn't do anything to you did he?" she asked frantically.

Jeremy shook his head hastily, "No, no he just—he wanted to know where I worked and my name and stuff like that. He didn't seem too upset about it."

He was trying to seduce you, that's why he wasn't upset his mind snapped at him. Well he obviously wouldn't be telling Bonnie that; she would have a field day.

"That's all? How come he didn't threaten your job? You technically work for him too since he owns this place," she grumbled petulantly as she leaned back in the booth. Jeremy shrugged.

"I don't know. He said he sees me in here all the time since he comes here a lot and I told him I worked pretty much all day because I needed the money so maybe he felt sorry for me," he murmured. Tyler's smirk crept into his mind again and he willed it away.

"Weird…maybe he's going to make you into his next slave," Bonnie said suggestively. Jeremy choked on his water and started coughing.

"I was joking Jeremy, jeez! Breathe," Bonnie laughed as she handed him a napkin. He took it, nodding gratefully and wiping the water off his shirt and the table. "I still can't believe we got caught like that. We were totally red-handed and there was no way we could have lied our way out of that one. But at least we got to meet him; he's absolutely gorgeous," she sighed dreamily. Jeremy ignored his mind agreeing with her.

"Amy was so jealous when I told her—"

"You told Amy?" Jeremy asked in alarm; he didn't know why this was a problem, he just knew he didn't want people finding about their encounter with Tyler Lockwood. He wanted to keep his name out of the papers and continue living anonymously.

"Yeah…is that bad?" Bonnie asked frowning as she stole another fry from his plate.

"Well I just don't think we should be telling people what we found since he threatened to fire you and he knows everyone on your floor likes to gossip about him."

"Amy doesn't gossip, that's why I only tell her and you things I hear about Tyler from the other girls. Anyways I told her about that girl we found—the one that was sleeping in that room, remember?—and she thinks that she's his slave too!" Bonnie grinned as if she had just gotten a promotion. "I would kill to get back in that house!"

"I hope you wouldn't," Jeremy said as he finished off his sandwich. "And I don't think I want to see the rest of it. Those two rooms were enough for me."

"You're no fun, Jeremy," she pouted and he laughed. "Did he show you the rest of his freaky sex-toy stash?"

"No," Jeremy answered quickly as he grabbed a napkin and pretended to wipe his face while really hiding the blush he could feel heating his face. "We didn't even talk about it."

"Damn," she muttered. "We need to get back in that house."

"We aren't doing anything. I think this was more than enough excitement for me," Jeremy said as he stood up. "If you want to risk your neck just to see what other weird fetishes Tyler Lockwood has then be my guest."

"Jeremy!" she whined as she stood as well, following him back to the kitchen as usual when she wanted something from him. "Come on! You're the only other person who knows what secrets he's hiding! Maybe we can talk to that girl—"

"Don't you think she was kept out of sight for a reason, Bonnie?" Jeremy asked exasperatedly. "Obviously no one was supposed to know she lived there because she was sleeping while a party was going on. If he knew we saw her I think we'd be in a lot more trouble."

She sighed and leaned back against the counter, contemplating this. "You're probably right but…I just really want to know who she is and what it's like to be his slave!"

"That's just something you're going to have to wonder, unless you want to join her," Jeremy asked as he looked away from his task of washing dishes to give her questioning glance. "Is that why you're so curious about his life?"

"What?—no! God, I don't think I could handle the freakiness," she laughed and he laughed with her. "I'm just curious, I guess. I've never seen anything like that before and I want to know why and how and how she even met him! She looks like she was just an average girl he found."

"Maybe she was. Maybe her parent's sold her to him to pay off some debt," Jeremy said in his best serious voice. "Maybe he took her from another country."

"No…I don't think he would do anything like that," Bonnie said thoughtfully. Jeremy wouldn't put it past Lockwood; he seemed too calm when talking about his sex toys with him.

Because he wanted to use them on you! A large part of him was horrified that someone would even think of wanting to tie him down and have their way with him but a small part of him cried that if it was Tyler Lockwood then he would take it without fuss or fight.

"I'll see what I can find out from the other girls—don't worry; I won't tell them what happened! I don't want to get fired either and I'm on thin ice right now," she said quickly and she walked to the door, turning back to Jeremy for a moment. "Call me later, okay?"

"Alright," Jeremy nodded and she flounced out the room. Jeremy sighed and wiped his wrist on his forehead. This whole situation with Tyler was making him agitated and he was losing sleep; he just needed to get the man from his mind and continue on with his life as if nothing happened.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

Jeremy was exhausted as the day wore on; the lack of sleep was starting to take its toll on him and he felt ready to drop where he was standing. The family of six who just left had left a nice mess for him to clean up and he sighed heavily as he set to work on depositing their plates into the big grey bin he carried before wiping the table down, making sure to pick up as many crumbs as possible. A light cough from behind him made him turn around and he felt his mouth get dry as Tyler Lockwood smirked at him; he hadn't realized that he had come in tonight, though the number of people who came in earlier should have been an indicator.

"Did you need something, sir?" Jeremy asked politely, trying his hardest to not let that smoldering stare affect him.

"Not at all, I'm just watching you work," he said smoothly, eyes lighting up. Jeremy didn't know how to respond to that so he smiled nervously and went back to his task. "How long until your shift is over?"

"Excuse me?" Jeremy gasped as his head whipped back to Tyler. The man looked at him and repeated his question.

"At…at eleven, then I help them close up. Why do you ask?" he asked timidly. Tyler shrugged.

"Curiosity. You do this every night?"

Jeremy nodded, scratching the back of his neck. "Yes sir."

"I like how those words sound coming out of your mouth," Tyler murmured, that sexy smirk appearing on his face; the one that made Jeremy's heart beat like he had just ran a marathon. "When you finish with this table, come sit with me."

"O-Okay," Jeremy stuttered, completely confused as he walked back to the kitchen. As he dumped the plates into the sink, Tyler's request sunk into his brain and he immediately panicked; what if he changed his mind and said no? Would he fire him? Would Tyler hold the fact that he practically broke into his house and went snooping over his head? Tyler Lockwood scared him and quite honestly, he would be better off not having anything to do with the billionaire. Jeremy guessed he should be flattered if the mysterious billionaire was trying to get into his pants but all he could feel was a sense of dread at the thought.

"Jeremy, you okay?" Megan asked as she approached him slowly; Megan could tell Jeremy didn't like to be in close contact with people so she, thankfully, kept her distance from him. "You look pale."

"I'm…I'm fine Megan, thanks," he smiled shakily, knowing she could probably see though his lie. The blonde woman returned his smile, "Well if you need anything, just let me know hon, alright?"

"Okay, thanks Megan," he said and she walked back to her stove. A waitress with blonde hair drawn in a high ponytail and a pretty made-up face walked in with shocked eyes, "Jeremy Gilbert? Tyler Lockwood is asking for you."

Megan whipped around in shock, staring at him with wide eyes, "You know Tyler Lockwood?"

"Not really, just an acquaintance," Jeremy murmured, ducking his head as he blushed. He pushed past the blonde waitress and walked back out into the restaurant.

He ignored the stares of the other waiter on the floor as he walked to his table slowly, mentally preparing himself for the billionaire's lewd comments. He sat down stiffly, not looking at that smirking face.

"I got you a bagel and hot chocolate. Eat," Tyler ordered and Jeremy found he could do nothing but comply. He slowly ate his bagel, not feeling as hungry as he should have considering he hadn't eaten since lunch. He could feel Tyler's eyes on him and it made him squirm.

"So Jeremy, have you thought about visiting my house again to see the rest of my toys?"

Jeremy choked on his bagel and quickly took a large sip of his hot chocolate, "N-No…I'm really sorry about that."

"I never said I minded," Tyler shrugged as he leaned back in the booth with his hands folded in front of him. "Though I am curious as to how you got onto my guest list and I missed your name."

"We used fake names," Jeremy muttered, wondering why he was even talking about this. Tyler could easily take this to the police and his life would really be over.

"Ah, I see. Very smart on your friend's part, though I wonder how she broke the code to put names on my guest list."

"Please don't punish her," Jeremy pleaded. "Bonnie just…she knows she was out of line and she's sorry. She's a really hard worker and a good person."

Tyler stared at him for a moment, the wheels in his head turning. Of course he didn't plan on doing anything to Bonnie but Jeremy didn't need to know that.

"Why shouldn't I fire her? She crossed too many lines when she broke my codes and put your fake names on a guest list for a private party. I've had to have my security team replace the codes and making the firewalls stronger because if she could do it, who knows who else could break into my files? That gives me grounds to sue, even."

Jeremy's eyes widened considerably; Bonnie would be in debt for the rest of her life it Tyler went through with his threat and he couldn't let that happen if he could prevent it.

"Please," he whispered. "I'll do anything; just leave her out of it."

"Anything?" Tyler said, a smirk crossing his face. Jeremy met his eyes and nodded, trying to ignore the dread seeping into his stomach.

"You're risking a lot for this girl, you have feelings for her?" Tyler asked in his low, seductive voice. Jeremy shook his head frantically, blushing heavily.

"Ah—um no, no she's just a really good friend," he mumbled. He wouldn't dare tell Tyler that he mostly found men more attractive than women.

"I see," Tyler said in that same tone, turning Jeremy's insides to butter and making the hairs on his neck stand on end. "Well, Mr. Gilbert, I will think about your proposition. I will let you know in a couple of days what I decide. Now finish your bagel, you are entirely too skinny to let food go to waste."

Jeremy didn't say anything and complied with Tyler's wishes. Tyler watched him with a smirk that could rival the Cheshire cat's. This was entirely too easy; Jeremy had no idea just what he got himself into.


	4. Chapter 4

**Happy Monday Folks! Thanks for all the reviews and for allerting/favorting this story guys! I think I will be updating this story every Monday so you have something to start your week right. :) Sound good?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries or characters associated with it. I just own the cities of New Haven and Nivea, the country of Atteca and this plot.**

* * *

Tyler laughed as he watched Damon try to lure Katherine and Caroline upstairs; the New Year's party was in full swing and not a single person, except for the security guards was sober, including him. Katherine looked ready to give in; Tyler could tell by the way her body was leaning towards him. He took two more shots back to back, smiling at the cheers he received when he slammed his glass down onto the bar.

"She's still into me, I know it," Damon slurred as he bumped into Tyler, nearly knocking him off his seat. "She so wants me, she's just playing hard to get."

"Right, of course she is," Tyler laughed as he poured a shot for himself and Damon. Damon grinned in thanks before they clunk their glasses together and swallowed the drink in seconds. The music was blaring and the base was so strong it made the floor shake, the catchy hip-hop tunes sounding through the surround sound speakers.

"Oh, I saw your bitch of a fiancé here with daddy dearest; I didn't know they were invited," Damon snorted and Tyler rolled his eyes.

"They weren't. It seems that Rebekah finds joy in crashing my parties these days."

"Tell the cunt to fuck off, you can do so much better," he threw back another drink; Tyler knew he would have a horrible hangover tomorrow. "Did you see Stefan?"

"Yes, he looks dapper as usual," Tyler chuckled, his head swimming and body swaying. He was too far gone now, like most of the people here.

"He wants to know if you've found a replacement," he asked suggestively before snatching the bottle from the bar and taking a large swig. "He's very interested in your sex life."

"I suppose he would be, Damon. Just like you still want to be involved in Katherine's," Tyler laughed as he snatched the bottle back to take a large swig of his own. He would probably have a hangover to rival Damon's tomorrow morning but he didn't care. "And I have actually. He's very pretty."

"Have you ever tried dominating a chick? They're so easy to control and do whatever you want with."

"Not interested, you know I can't resist those pretty boys," he smirked as Jeremy's face came to his mind's eye. The boy was so innocent it was nearly unbelievable; his shyness made him all the more appetizing.

"Well if you change your mind, you should see if Katherine would lend you Caroline for a while, though I doubt it. Very possessive over her—I think she's in love," Damon slurred the word as he took back the bottle of Patron and finished the bottle. "Which is totally fine by me because having two girls is better than no girls, am I right?"

"Very right Damon," Tyler laughed. He felt a hand on his back and he turned around, coming face to face with Stefan. "Hey, man," he slurred as he shook the smiling man's hand.

"It's only 11:52 and you're both already hammered. This is a new record for you, Damon, since you've only been here thirty minutes," Stefan admonished lightly. Damon rolled his eyes at his brother's tone.

"Maybe you should be taking a couple of shots to loosen up," he smiled sweetly as he reached over the bar and grabbed a bottle of rum, thrusting it at Stefan. "Bottom's up baby brother!"

Stefan rolled his eyes but drank none the less; Tyler watched him and thought if Stefan were to be as drunk as he was it wouldn't be such a bad thing if they hooked up later, for old time's sake.

Oh, right. He forgot that Stefan was a married man now. Tyler may have done a lot of questionable things in his life but he never hooked up with people who were already spoken for if he knew they were taken. He sighed as Stefan passed him the bottle and he drank some more; he would just have to find a pretty boy or two and pretend they were Jeremy.

"Stefan!" Katherine had found their group and kissed Stefan on both cheeks. She came and kissed Tyler as well, "How are you enjoying the party? Does it exceed your expectations?"

"You did good Kat. You're probably getting better at planning these things than me. And I see you've allowed Caroline to come to this one," he smiled as he watched the blonde talk to Stefan. He genuinely liked Caroline; she was a good match for Katherine in his opinion.

"I do not wish to keep her locked in a room all day like a prisoner; I want her to have freedom here because this is her home," Katherine explained drunkenly, Damon holding onto her every word. Tyler's eyes passed back and forth between them and he laughed before nodding.

"I see. Well I'm proud of you, you did well."

"THE COUNTDOWN'S STARTING!" someone cried and everyone cheered as they turned towards the television where the ball drop in New Haven was taking place. Tyler took another swig of rum before joining in the countdown, a pair of lips landing on his when everyone cried 'HAPPY NEW YEAR!' He closed his eyes and enjoyed the closeness, Jeremy's face coming to him again. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about that sweet face all week; even while drunk he couldn't get Jeremy out of his head.

The kiss ended and Tyler looked over the man who had lunged on him. He was very pretty, he noted as his cock started stirring in his pants. He had big, green eyes that were dazed, indicating he was drunk, gelled brown hair and tan skin. He smiled saucily at Tyler and the billionaire couldn't help but smirk back. He was going to have fun bringing in the New Year tonight.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

Rebekah giggled as the dashing young man kissed down her neck before kissing her again, their drinks long forgotten. The men had flocked to her the moment she and her entourage had walked through the door and now one of them was lucky enough to be sharing the first kiss of the New Year with her. She honestly could have cared less if Tyler saw them or not, she knew he was probably doing the same thing anyways. Suddenly the man was gone and her father was glaring heavily at her.

"What the hell are you doing?" he snarled. "You're engaged!"

"Oh please father, like you haven't seen Tyler lip-locked with another person before," she said haughtily. She started to walk to her 'friend' when Michel yanked her arm back harshly. "What the hell?"

"Watch your language Rebekah!" he hissed. "And stop acting like some loose tramp! You are embarrassing this family!" He turned to the young man and growled, "Get lost!" The man's eyes widened and walked away quickly.

"Father!" she snapped. "What is your problem?"

"My problem is your behavior! Just because it's a holiday does not mean you get to take a break from showing you have class!"

"You never correct Henrik when he's got his hands up some girl's skirt at a party!" she snapped as she yanked her arm away. "Save it for someone who cares. I'm having a good time so if you don't mind—"

"I do mind!" he dragged her into an empty hallway and pushed her against the wall. She looked at him in disbelief before the anger took over. "What the fu—!"

"Don't finish that statement!" he hissed furiously, blue eyes clouded with anger. "You are acting like some street girl and I won't have it. Stop this foolishness and pull yourself together Rebekah! Act like the lady you were raised to be!"

"Have you looked around? It's a party! Half of the women here are socialites and they're walking around with their shoes off and their dresses hiked up!" she cried. "If you want to talk about street girls then take your pick of the lot!"

"Rebekah!" Michel snapped. "You are going to be Tyler Lockwood's wife! Act like it!"

She laughed sarcastically. "Because he acts like he's going to be my husband! He's upstairs having an orgy right now so when you tell him how to behave maybe I will too."

"I've had enough of this. You are intoxicated and not in the condition to be seen," he snarled and yanked her off the wall. He dragged her to the foyer, her struggling not fazing him in the slightest. When they made it outside he snapped at one of the chauffeurs to grab their limo.

"What are you doing? I don't want to leave!" she protested. Michel paid her no mind as the white limo pulled in front of them. He opened the door, shoved Rebekah inside and slammed it shut. He barked out their home address to the driver before watching them take off. Michel took a deep breath before marching back inside the house; he needed to inform Carol of Tyler's behavior and remind said man that he was taken.

* * *

Jeremy spent Christmas with Bonnie and her mother, much at their insistence. He had yet to tell Bonnie about his conversation with Tyler and he didn't think he would; the last thing he wanted was for Bonnie to worry over him or worse, try and break back into his house to find incriminating evidence. Bonnie's talk of getting back into the Lockwood mansion had died down and Jeremy couldn't have been more grateful; he had seen more than he had ever wanted to about Tyler Lockwood's sex life.

He spent New Year's working at The Pier cleaning up after the rowdy, drunken patrons that made him uncomfortable to be around. Drunk, older women hit on him while a couple of wild men slapped his ass as he walked by with cartons of dirty dishes. He was tempted to hide out in the kitchen away from everyone for the rest of the night but he didn't want to lose his job so he suffered through it as best he could, comforted with the knowledge that he would find peace in his apartment when he was finally off.

The next weeks saw the number of patrons coming to the restaurant dying down and going back to normal. Jeremy was more than relieved to see that people seemed to forget about The Pier, including Tyler Lockwood. He hadn't seen the man since they had talked and Jeremy was more than relieved that Tyler seemed to forget about the incident and Jeremy's proposition. He had no idea what Tyler would have him do but he was sure he didn't want to find out.

On a particularly cold night in January, Jeremy said goodnight to Megan and Patty, the manager of the restaurant, and began his tedious walk home through the darkened alleys of his neighborhood. He wrapped his jacket tighter around him to keep the biting cold air from giving him a chill, though the thin insulation did little to keep him warm. He navigated through his usual trails, going through another alley way when he felt a sick feeling in his stomach and chills go through his spine. He turned around, eyes scanning frantically for another person in the alley with him but he didn't see anyone. Gulping, he continued on, trying his best to ignore the feeling of someone following him and focusing on getting home as quickly as possible. He rounded the corner and was faced with a group of four guys; Jeremy felt his heart rate speed up as they all turned to look in his direction. This couldn't mean anything good for him.

"Well, look at this! He's a pretty one, fellas" one of them called to the others. There were a few cat-calls and laughter that made Jeremy jump; his hands shook as he kept his head down and kept walking, faster than before.

"Where you goin pretty boy!" the guy growled as he grabbed Jeremy's jacket. He cried out in surprise as he was thrown to the ground, immediately curling into a ball to protect himself. The other guys started kicking him anywhere they could reach; he felt a foot connect with his rib and his head at the same time, his nose cracking and starting to bleed when another foot came down hard on it. He tucked his chin into his chest and threw his arms over his head that was starting to throb. He cried out when he was kicked hard in the back where his kidney was and a couple more times in the head, also catching his hands; he wondered if they were going to kill him.

A sudden gunshot rang through the air and Jeremy thought he had been mortally shot. He kept his hands over his head, whimpering and shaking as another shot sounded in the night.

"Get the fuck off him!" someone snarled. Jeremy could hear feet running past him and the guys yelling back at his savior but he didn't dare lift his head; if anything, this guy could do worse things to him than the men just now. His head was throbbing something terrible and he barely registered his savior running and kneeling down next to him before everything went dark.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

"You're lucky you found him when you did, those men easily could have killed him," Pearl said as she looked down at her chart and scribbled something. "They really did a number on him. He's got a lot of bruises, except some of them look old…like this has happened before."

Tyler couldn't stop the low growl that sounded in his throat; he was glad he'd been on his way to The Pier to see Jeremy and discuss the terms of his proposition when he'd seen the boy walking home. He had followed, curious about where he lived only to see Jeremy get attacked by four men twice his size. He didn't even think twice about pulling out his gun, the one he always carried with him when he went to District Five at night.

"He has a pretty bad concussion so he'll probably be in and out of consciousness; when he's able to stay awake he will probably have painful headaches. His ribs had to be wrapped because two of them were cracked so he won't be able to move for a while. We also wrapped his head just in case; he had a little cut somewhere on the left side in his hair, not enough to cause alarm but he might have short term memory loss. He should be fine but he should stay with someone who can watch him."

"He's staying with me," Tyler said quickly. "I'm taking care of him."

She raised an eyebrow, "You work all day Tyler."

"I'll take time off," he said with a frown. "And Katherine will be home too. I don't want him to stay here; I only brought him to you because we were close by and you happen to be good at your job."

"What's wrong with staying here? It's probably better so we can check to see if his brain will swell."

"No," Tyler said firmly. "You can come check on him at my home. He's coming home with me. Tonight."

They stared at each other for a few seconds, sizing each other up before she gave him a slight smile, "Oh fine, Lockwood. You can take him home tonight but go out the back; someone tipped off the reporters that you're here. When he wakes up give him these," she handed him a capsule of pills. "They're pretty strong so if his headaches are bad he should only need about two. I'll be over tomorrow to check on him."

"Thank you Pearl," he said; she smiled at him and left, closing the curtain. Tyler sighed and looked at the unconscious boy; he knew he should probably leave him at the hospital to heal but he didn't want Jeremy to wake up alone. Nor did he want those goons to come looking for him to finish what they started.

"Jere," he murmured as he shook him gently. The boy mumbled something after a few moments of coaxing, his eyes opening blearily. "C'mon, we're going."

"Goin' where?" he slurred as Tyler threw his arm over his neck before lifting him into his arms; there was no way Jeremy was alert enough to walk anywhere.

"Home. You're staying with me until you're better," he said as he carried the concussed boy out the door, his head resting heavily on his shoulder. "How's your head?"

"Hurts," he groaned as Tyler opened the back door of his Audi. Tyler hummed and strapped him in securely; he didn't want Jeremy in the front seat where the reporters could snap his picture in moments. At least the rest of his windows were tinted.

"We'll be home soon," he whispered. Jeremy nodded, falling unconscious mid nod. Tyler jogged around to his side of the car and got in, prepared to run down anyone who chose to stand in his way just to get a picture.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

"What happened to him?" Katherine asked softly as Tyler laid Jeremy on his bed gently.

"He was attacked—ambushed—by four guys," Tyler growled lowly. "I'm going to find the bastards and give them hell."

"Will he be alright? Did you have Pearl look at him?" she asked as she sat in the armchair near the window. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen Tyler so angry; he hadn't been like this since his teenage days.

"He has a concussion and probably won't remember the attack or anything that's happened immediately after," he murmured as he watched Jeremy; he couldn't help but slip his fingers through his hair comfortingly though Jeremy probably couldn't feel them.

"Is he the one you want to take as your new submissive?" Katherine asked softly.

Tyler nodded. "He works at The Pier. He's a busboy."

Katherine hummed, shocked as she watched Tyler be so affectionate with someone he hardly knew; there had to be more to the story than what she had learned so far.

"I can tell Caroline to keep an eye on him while we are away at work," she murmured as she sat next to the billionaire. "Or I will when I have my days off. Are you sure you do not want to take him back to the hospital?"

"No, he stays here," Tyler muttered and Katherine smiled; he had already become possessive of him and he hadn't even signed a contract yet. "Only you and Caroline are allowed in here. Tell Elijah to keep everyone else out and that the maids can skip this room when they come."

"Of course _cher_ _frère_," she murmured as she stood. "I know there is more to the story with this boy than what you have told me. I will be looking forward to hearing all of it." She left silently, noticing how Tyler's eyes never left Jeremy's still form.

* * *

Jeremy groaned as he started to come to; his head was throbbing and he reached a hand to touch the back, hissing in pain when he pressed on a tender spot through the gauze that was wrapped around it thickly. He remembered walking home from work, those guys calling out to him, being thrown down…then nothing afterwards. He whimpered involuntarily; this was the reason he was afraid of people touching him. He always, _always_ wound up hurt.

He didn't feel any stitches so he supposed the thugs that attacked him didn't split his skull open. His back was sore and he was sure he would have bruises, though the impossibly soft bed he was laying on made it ache less. Eyes still closed, he reached down and felt gauze wrapped around his ribs along with ointment spread across various parts of his body. He wanted to keep his eyes closed and fall back asleep but his stomach growled loudly and he couldn't deny the hunger pains anymore. Slowly he opened one eye and then the other, frowning as he looked around.

He was definitely not in his apartment, but someone's bedroom, a rich someone from the looks of the décor and the cherry wood furniture. Each wall was a different shade of brown; there were large, open windows with light from the sun illuminating the room that looked out beyond the glorious property and towards the beach the house sat by. There was a large dresser to the left of the bed, the top spotless save for the few bottles of cologne that sat on top of it. A large piece of artwork sat above the dresser and a full-length mirror sat in between the dresser and the door. Various plants were scattered throughout the room, adding to the room's forest theme. The bed, as Jeremy really looked at it, was probably the most impressive piece of furniture in the room; there was easily room for five other people, the biggest bed he'd ever seen. The headboard was dark-brown and the sheets were a crème color, the down comforter a light brown to contrast with the headboard but matching with the opposite wall of the room. It was clearly a man's room, Jeremy surmised. Now he just needed to figure out whose room it was.

He loathed leaving the bed, it was the softest he'd ever laid in, but he forced himself to sit up, biting back a cry of protest when he jostled his healing ribs. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and wondered how long he had been here. He definitely wasn't in his district anymore; rooms like this one were usually found in the homes of districts one and two.

He swung his feet over the side, his toes sinking into the plush, crème carpet. He took a deep breath before standing up, immediately feeling dizzy before he sat back down. He took a few more deep breaths before standing and righting himself, realizing he wasn't in his own clothes and he wondered whose green, silk pajamas he was wearing. He frowned; that meant someone had found him, brought him home to a district that was farther than the hospital, tended to his wounds and stripped him naked to put him in clean clothes. Panic ensued inside of him before he realized if this person wanted to hurt him, they wouldn't have gone through the trouble of bandaging him.

He looked around the room, noticing two, comfortable-looking armchairs in the corner in front of the windows with a glass coffee table in front of them and he saw that his clothes had been folded neatly in one of them. A large picture of a wooded area took up half the wall in front of him, he noticed as he slipped out the bed and shed the pajamas and carefully put on his work shirt and jeans, both of which were washed, and slipped on his torn up sneakers. He grabbed his jacket after neatly folding the pajama pants and leaving them on the bed before opening the door quietly, looking up and down the hall for any sign of a person. He thought it would be rude if he just snuck out; he at least wanted to thank the person who saved him.

Cautiously he stepped into the hall and shut the door quietly, taking quiet steps on the polished, wooden floors. He looked in every room that was open, not finding anyone in sight before deciding to head downstairs. When he reached the bottom stair he heard voices—two female voices—talking and laughing further into the house. Jeremy looked at the foyer and felt a sense of déjà vu; he felt as if he had been here before but couldn't remember when.

He followed the voices outside to the large deck and patio where two women, a blonde and a brunette were sitting eating lunch; multiple dishes were set on the large, glass round table that was covered with a white and blue umbrella set in the middle. The blonde was the first to see him and Jeremy gasped as he recognized her as the girl he and Bonnie found at Tyler Lockwood's party. His heart beat erratically as he realized whose house he was in; how the hell did he of all people find him in an alleyway?

The brunette noticed the blonde's eyes had strayed to something behind her and she turned around, her eyes lighting up a bit as she looked him over. Jeremy thought she could be a model with her long, curly, shiny brown hair and big brown eyes. Her red lips curved into a smile. "I am glad to see that you are awake. How do you feel, Mr. Gilbert?"

Her accent threw Jeremy off a bit; she must have migrated from another country, probably France or Spain.

"I…I'm better, thank you," he said as he did his best to keep his eyes off the blonde girl. "Are you the one who found me?"

"No, my brother did. He has been very worried about you. Come, sit, eat something. I know you must be hungry," she gestured to the empty chair next to him. Jeremy was about to decline before he thought better of it and sat down carefully. He could feel the blonde's eyes on him and he kept his head down, positive the guilt would show on his face.

"Elijah, fix him a plate please, he is injured," the brunette woman called; the man standing by the door, who Jeremy hadn't even noticed, immediately walked over to the table and started piling food on it. He set the plate down in front of Jeremy and he muttered a 'thank you' before digging in, not realizing how hungry he was until the food was right in front of him.

"My brother tells me you have been to our home before," the brunette said and Jeremy started coughing in surprise, nearly spitting out his food. Had _everyone_ heard about that story?

"I…yeah—I'm sorry about that," he muttered, his face flushing with shame. Could this get any worse? To his surprise, the brunette laughed.

"There is no need to apologize, Mr. Gilbert. No one was hurt," she said lightly as she took a sip of her drink. "People get curious about our lifestyle, it is understandable." She reached over to the blonde's hand and squeezed it gently, smiling kindly at her.

Jeremy watched them in surprise and slight confusion. The brunette caught his look and laughed again, "Forgive me for the lack of introductions! My name is Katherine Pierce and this is Caroline. We both share this house with Tyler."

"I…I'm Jeremy," he said quietly, sounding like a timid child and cursing his voice for failing him.

"I know. Tyler has talked about you. He wanted to watch over you himself like he has for the past few days but he was called in to work for some business. Elijah!" she called and the man came to her side. "Call Tyler and tell him that Mr. Gilbert is awake. He will want to know." He nodded and stepped into the house. Jeremy felt his insides turn; now he owed Tyler for saving his life on top of not firing Bonnie or having them arrested.

"That's alright…I don't want him to leave his work just to come see me—"

"He insisted that we call him when you had awoken. He was very concerned when he brought you home from the hospital," Katherine said as she took a bite of her chicken pasta. "He even took the past two days off work just to make sure you were alright."

"I was asleep for two days?" Jeremy blurted, his eyes widening.

"Two and a half if you count today. You have a very serious concussion, I was afraid we were going to have to take you back to the hospital if you did not wake up by tonight."

"I…I have to go—my job, they don't know where I am," he muttered frantically as he stood quickly, forgetting about his injuries and he fell back down dizzily in the chair with a gran. Katherine was by his side immediately, checking his head and his ribs. She noticed the way Jeremy flinched when she touched him and she frowned; she made a mental note to tell Tyler later.

"I do not think you will be going anywhere for a while," she murmured gently. "Tyler has called your work and told them what has happened. He requested that they give you time away and hold your position until you were well enough to work again."

"He…he did that for me?" Jeremy asked in disbelief. "But why?"

"Because you are injured," she said in confusion. "He wants you to get well; he wanted to take care of you. Tyler likes to take care of people; that is his nature. I am sure that you do not see that too often when the papers write such awful stories about him. _Ma_ _chérie,_ go get Mr. Gilbert's medication from Tyler's room; do you remember where he put it?" she asked Caroline. The blonde nodded and walked inside the house quickly. Jeremy was starting to think he was wrong in assuming that Caroline was Tyler's slave.

"Come, Mr. Gilbert, let us go inside," she said gently as she stood, helping him stand. The two made their way inside and to the plush white couch, Katherine helping Jeremy sit down before looking at his face, frowning at the bruises and his swollen nose.

"Your nose was very swollen from the fight," she murmured looking at him gently as her hands moved down to his shirt. "Let me see your ribcage."

"N-No that's okay," he stuttered frantically; it was already enough that someone had undressed him while he was unconscious. He didn't want to remove his clothes in front of someone he didn't know.

"Mr. Gilbert, I am not going to hurt you." Her big brown eyes bore into his. "I just want to see the damage and how they are healing."

Jeremy shook his head again, squeezing his eyes shut and wrapping his arms around himself as tightly as he could without jostling his ribs. "I'm fine, really! Please," he whimpered and Katherine leaned back, worry taking place in her eyes.

"It is alright _chère_, you are safe here. No one wishes you any harm," she murmured as gently as she could to the trembling man. Had the attack left him so scarred he was scared of other people?

Caroline had entered the room and gave the bottle of pills to Katherine who thanked her and asked her to get a glass of water. When she returned she took a pill out of the vial and handed it to Jeremy.

"Take this for the pain," she said softly. Jeremy opened his glassy eyes and watched Katherine for a moment before tentatively taking the pill and the glass. He finished the glass of water and handed it back to Katherine, "Thank you," he whispered as he kept his head down.

She smiled kindly, "Rest now _chère_, you are safe here," she whispered as he lay down. She frowned as he closed his eyes and fell asleep; she had to talk to Tyler.

* * *

**Review, review, review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you for the reviews to those that did review, to the rest of you...what happened!? I don't bite I swear, it's okay to tell me what you think haha. Thank you for reading :) Now onto chapter 5!**

**WARNINGS: A little drug use and the first sex scene, which is actually a threesome ;) If you don't like to read about any of those, skip over them. They're nothing really extreme but you will know when they're coming just in case. **

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

* * *

"We need more descriptions of the guys if we're going to catch them," Officer Matt Donavan sighed as he leaned against the door of Tyler's office. "Could you see any of their faces? Maybe what they were wearing?"

"No, it was too dark and they all took off when I fired a shot in the air," he sighed as he rubbed his hands over his face; it looked like he was going to have to do this the gruesome way.

"Well, as officers of the law, there's not much we can do," Matt said. "But you know Kol and I can find them on our own time."

Tyler nodded, "Call me when you've got them. _All_ of them." Matt nodded and turned to leave but was stopped again by Tyler's voice. "Thanks Matt, this means a lot."

"No problem man," Matt nodded before he left. Tyler sighed in frustration and leaned back in his chair; he thought that Matt and his partner Kol Mikaelson would be able to bring charges against all the men who jumped Jeremy in the alley but Tyler hadn't even seen their faces. He was lucky the two police officers were used to going behind the laws back when it came to taking the worst criminals off the streets. Tyler shuddered; he couldn't imagine what a place Nivea would be if Matt and Kol hadn't taken out half the crooks in the city. Worse things would happen to innocent people like Jeremy.

His thoughts strayed to the unconscious boy in his bed at the moment and he sighed again; what would have happened if he wasn't there to save Jeremy? Would they have continued kicking him until he stopped breathing? Would they have raped him? He heard what they had called him and it made Tyler's blood boil to ever think of Jeremy in such a situation; the shy boy was the last person who deserved something like that.

His thoughts were interrupted from his anger by his cellphone buzzing on his desk. "Hello?" he snapped, immediately regretting doing so.

"Mr. Lockwood, Ms. Pierce wanted me to inform you that Mr. Gilbert is awake."

"Thank you Elijah," he said and he hung up, grabbing his briefcase and not bothering to pack anything as he left hurriedly. Everything could wait until tomorrow.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

Tyler frowned when he entered through the laundry room and walked through the bar and found Katherine and Caroline sitting on the love seat in the living room watching Pearl kneeling next to the figure that was asleep on the couch. They had their heads pressed together closely, too close to be just friends, and they were whispering quietly as the figure shifted under the blanket.

"What's going on?" he asked quietly as he approached them. He frowned deeper when he saw Jeremy knocked out on his couch.

"He got dizzy when he tried to stand outside. I brought him in here to lie down and I called Pearl. I was worried," Katherine answered as she stood and kissed Tyler on the cheek. "The poor boy is very scared, Tyler. He would not even let me look at his ribs to see how they were healing."

"His ribs are healing well, they're probably just sore," Pearl assessed. "His mental state will be sketchy for a while and I already mentioned to you Tyler that he has more bruises all over him." She shook her head as she stood, "Either he's been in a lot of fights in the past or someone liked using him as a punching bag."

Tyler felt anger flaring inside him at the mention of Jeremy being abused; he was very curious to know what sort of life Jeremy had and how he wound up in District Five, the roughest, dirtiest district with the worst neighborhoods in all of Nivea which also happened to be the most populated district, no matter how much he tried to fix it. The fifth district was the exact reason he started his two charities; one that was supposed to help feed the hungry, those who couldn't afford food and the other for victims of abuse of all kinds. He wondered if Jeremy ever sought help from any attacks and made a mental note to check all the charity's records.

"Poor thing," Katherine murmured as she watched him sleep. "He has probably gone through so much."

"I'll take him upstairs. Thanks again Pearl," he said as he set his briefcase down and walked to the sleeping boy, lifting him easily into his arms and walked carefully so as not to startle him. The women watched him go with smiles; this boy was having more of an effect on Tyler than they thought.

"Master Tyler seems to care deeply for him," Caroline said softly as she watched them. Katherine bent to kiss the top of her head.

"Perhaps he has found the one."

* * *

When Jeremy woke again, it was nighttime; he was in the same room he was in before dressed in the same pajamas. He supposed that his concussion was worse than he thought and he probably shouldn't be doing anything tedious until he was healed. He blinked in the darkness and snuggled into the warm blankets; the throbbing in his head, though still present, had lessened considerably and his ribs had nearly stopped aching. He sat up slowly after a few moments, the moonlight illuminating parts of the room through the wide windows, a magnificent view of the grounds visible in the light. The sight was breathtaking and made Jeremy wish, not for the first time, that he could wake up to something like this every day.

The lights were turned on and dimmed, making Jeremy jump as he hadn't realized anyone else was in the room. He blinked and looked around his eyes coming to rest on Tyler's form standing at the door.

"I'm glad you're awake," he said, his voice rich. Jeremy didn't reply, fighting the blush that was creeping up his neck and face. Tyler walked further into the room, sitting the glass of water he was carrying on the nightstand and he slowly sat on the edge of his bed not too close to Jeremy which the skittish boy was grateful for.

"Do you remember what happened, Jeremy?" he asked quietly. The pale boy shook his head slowly.

"I—that guy grabbed me and threw me on the ground…but everything is a blank after that," he whispered, suddenly feeling shame wash over him. "I was walking home from work but I don't remember what happened."

"You were attacked by those four men," Tyler murmured gently. "Did you see their faces or anything they were wearing?"

"No, it was too dark and…when they threw me down I closed my eyes and covered my head. I just didn't want them to hurt me," Jeremy whispered, looking down at the brown comforter he was wringing in his hands.

Tyler looked at him in sympathy and covered one of Jeremy's hands with his own, frowning at the way Jeremy seemed to shrink back from the touch. "I'm not going to hurt you Jeremy."

"I know…just instinct, I guess," he murmured, more shame filling him. Why couldn't he just be a normal person without this damning fear of being touched? How was he ever going to have a relationship with someone if he couldn't even stand to hold someone's hand?

"This isn't the first time you've been hurt," Tyler muttered. He scooted closer to Jeremy, careful to move slowly and watched for the boy's reaction. "You've been hurt before, I can tell by the way you're flinching away from me."

Jeremy lifted his head, fighting back tears as he scooted back as far as he could go, "Please…I just want to go home," he whispered painfully. Tyler shook his head.

"You aren't going back there, that neighborhood is dangerous. You're staying here until you're healed."

"But…but what about my job and—and I have to pay my bills—"

"Don't worry about any of that, I will take care of it. Just rest," Tyler soothed. Jeremy felt his head starting to get foggy and he wondered if Tyler's voice had that effect on everyone.

The billionaire reached over to the nightstand and grabbed the vial of pain-killers, pouring one onto his hand. He handed Jeremy the glass of water he walked in with. "Take this; it's for your head."

"I'm fine, I don't need it," Jeremy muttered.

"Jeremy, take the pill," Tyler said firmly. Jeremy gave Tyler a tiny glare before taking the pill and popping it in his mouth washing it down with water.

"Good boy," Tyler gave him a small smirk. Jeremy frowned at his words but didn't comment. "You need sleep; I will wake you when supper is ready."

He stood and walked to the door, turning the lights off and closed the door quietly, leaving Jeremy in the dark once more.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

"How long do you plan on keeping him here?" Katherine asked as Tyler entered their sitting room "Perhaps it might be better if we do send him home—"

"No, that neighborhood is unsafe. He's not going back there, not ever," Tyler snapped as he sat on the loveseat across from Katherine. "He's staying here until he's better; then I will find him a home in a safer neighborhood or he will live here."

"You cannot just take someone away from their life because you do not like where they live, Tyler," Katherine reprimanded. "He should at least have a say in what will happen to him. You are not his master."

"Not yet," Tyler muttered; the need to claim Jeremy was devouring him. Never had he wished to possess another human so much in his life; his desire to keep Jeremy safe and away from the horrors like he had been exposed to was driving him crazy. "He needs someone to care for him; he's been hurt in the past and has yet to recover, he is nearly a month behind on his bills…he can barely afford to make ends meet. His life is out of control, he needs my help," Tyler sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "He will be mine, Katherine. One way or another he will submit to me."

"I know he will," Katherine said with a smirk. "No man or woman has ever been able to resist you for too long."

"Except for Caroline," Tyler grinned and Katherine laughed.

"Not even she is immune to your charms, she just likes mine more."

The two laughed before a knock on the door interrupted them. Tyler called for them to come in and the door opened, revealing a smirking Damon. "So I hear you're harboring your next sub in your room, that true?"

"I wonder who you heard that from. I know it wasn't me," Tyler said as he shot Katherine a glare. The brunette raised her eyebrow.

"I simply mentioned to Mr. Salvatore that you were thinking of possibly thinking of taking Mr. Gilbert as your new submissive. I was not wrong, was I?" she asked innocently. Tyler rolled his eyes as they chuckled.

"Well I have a little something for you, my friend. It'll help take the edge off and I'm sure he'll come around if you give him some of this," Damon smirked as he pulled out a pill capsule and tossed it to Tyler. "It's supposedly the best stuff on the market right now and he gave me three ounces to try for free."

"This is an ounce of weed?" Tyler asked as he opened the capsule and took a whiff of the plant; it smelled heavenly.

"No, that's a half ounce, here's the other half," he tossed another, wider capsule to Tyler. "I gave an ounce to Stefan and I kept the other one. He told me to get people to try it out and get back to him on how it was. It's called Redemption; supposedly you will feel redeemed after a couple hits, it's that good."

"Are you ever going to tell me who your dealer is?" Tyler asked as he looked at the two capsules.

"Nope; as far as you're concerned, I'm your dealer and I give you the best discounts you could ask for, so don't complain," he smirked. "Plus you know I only get the best."

Tyler rolled his eyes with a smile. "I wasn't complaining. Thank you Damon," he said in an exaggerated sing-song voice. "I suppose you came to take bong hits with your girls so I'll leave you to it."

"Oh I came to do much more than that, this is for later," Damon said suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows. Katherine rolled her eyes and Tyler laughed as he stood and left, going in search of Elijah to see about making he and Jeremy some dinner.

Damon took the hand Katherine was offering him and kissed it while pulling her up, "How have you been, milady?"

Katherine laughed at his fake accent. "I have been well. And yourself, Mr. Salvatore?"

"When are you going to call me Damon? We know each other too well for you to be referring to me as 'Mr. Salvatore.' That's my brother's name."

"I am sorry, I only call you that out of habit, since that was how you wanted me to address you before," she said lowly, her voice turning smooth and silky and making Damon's cock come to life.

"Shall we?" she gestured to the door on the left. He smirked and allowed himself to be led through. His smirk grew when he saw Caroline kneeling near the bed, her head down in a submissive position and knees drawn together, dressed in a tight red and black corset and black ruffled bottoms with fishnet stockings, black pumps and bunny ears perched on her head. Damon licked his lips in anticipation; he loved how Katherine always had Caroline dressed up for playtime.

"Caroline? Are you ready, darling?" Katherine asked softly.

Caroline raised her head briefly and nodded, "Yes, Mistress."

"You remember Mr. Salvatore from before?"

She glanced at the man and felt shivers run down her spine as she remembered the time her mistress was referring too; she had never felt so much pleasure in her life. Damon wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.

"Yes I remember," she whispered.

"So you wouldn't mind a…repeat performance, no? Mr. Salvatore greatly enjoys our company." Her accent was heavy and laced with desire.

She shook her head, "No Mistress, I wouldn't mind."

"He also has party favors," Damon held up the large capsule. "It's a new kind that I think you'll like."

Caroline smiled, "Thank you, Master Damon. You're very kind."

"My pleasure," Damon grinned as Katherine rummaged through her closet and found her pretty, purple bong. He nodded for her to stand and sit on the bed and she stood slowly, heels sinking into the plush carpet and sat on the bed. He sat on one side of Caroline and squeezed her arm gently. "Prepare to feel redeemed, darlin'. This stuff's gonna blow you away."

Katherine handed the large bong to Damon, careful not to spill the water. She sat on the other side of Caroline, pulling back her blonde hair so it was out of her way. It was not a usual custom of Dominance and submission role play to use drugs, in fact it was normally stated in contracts that the use of drugs was not allowed for safety reasons. But Katherine and Damon often bent the rules; they would never use drugs while in a scene, but that didn't stop them from letting their submissives occasionally enhance their experience. As long as one person was fully aware of what was going on in the scene, that one person being the Dominant, they would be fine. It took a special amount of trust for a submissive to enter a scene under the influence and the Dominant always had to be extra cautious and aware of their surroundings in case something went wrong.

Damon quickly packed a bowl and set the bong on Caroline's lap. He reached in his pocket for his lighter and instructed for Caroline to breathe in as he lit it. Both Dominants watched her with predatory expressions as she sucked in the huge cloud of smoke after Damon's thumb moved from the covering and coughed harshly, Katherine immediately reaching for the bottle of water at her feet. The blonde took the water gratefully and gulped down a good bit before handing it back to Katherine, already feeling the effects of the weed just after one hit. She knew she had nothing to fear; they would be gentle with her and they would make sure she was taken care of. That was the great benefit of being with these two Dominants at once.

* * *

Rebekah laughed as she listened to her group of girlfriends trash talking other socialites at dinner while men and women alike looked on in envy. She couldn't blame them; they were the hottest and wealthiest socialites in Nivea, probably all of Atteca. She believed they had a right to be cocky as they managed to catch the eye and attention of every single and married man, Rebekah more so than any of her friends. She was their leader, the one they would all turn to for advice on anything from fashion to eating habits to men. If Rebekah was wearing it, it was all over the papers and every woman was wearing a knock off version of her outfit. If she was trying a new diet, everyone was rushing to try it too. She was queen be of Nivea and she loved it; she felt she rightfully deserved it seeing as she was going to become Tyler Lockwood's wife. It was nearly exhausting to pretend they were a perfect happy couple and a match made in heaven when she really could have cared less about him; she just needed him to rise to the top and vice versa. Whether or not he agreed, they were a perfect match in the eyes of the public and she made sure to keep it that way while keeping her affairs with others discrete, even from her friends.

"Rebekah, did you here that Lauren was going around telling everyone how she and Tyler Lockwood hooked up at his New Year's party? How ridiculous! She would never stand a chance with him!"

"No, she wouldn't. How pathetic is she?" Rebekah replied haughtily though she was inwardly frowning; for all she knew, Lauren was telling the truth. Tyler wasn't really discrete when it came to having other people in his bed. At least she had the common courtesy to pretend she was being faithful to him. "She was probably drunk like she always is and fell into some bed with a couple guys pretending one of them was my fiancé."

"That's what I said!" Amanda giggled; Rebekah resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the blonde's stupidity. Sometimes she didn't know why she surrounded herself with these desperate females who worshiped the ground she walked on just so they could be seen in the spotlight and have a piece of the fame.

"But there have been rumors that he's been with a guy too," Carly, another blonde bimbo in her posse said in a lowered voice, trying to avoid a scandal. "Gale told me that he heard that at Tyler's Christmas party Paulo ran into him and then they were going upstairs together! That's, like, totally crazy!"

"Where did he hear that?" Rebekah snapped. The last thing she needed was speculation on her future husband's sexual orientation.

"From Marley who heard it from her cousin's best friend's sister who told Madeline who told him and he told me," Carly recited, clearly proud of herself, then added, "I didn't believe him but he insisted it was true."

"Well it's not. And you can tell Marley to stop spreading rumors unless she wants that favor returned," Rebekah said coldly, fire alight in her blue eyes. These rumors had the possibility of destroying her reputation and she wasn't having that.

"Of course! I know they aren't true Rebekah!" Carly exclaimed, sensing she had offended her blonde friend. "I just thought I would tell you what girls are saying nowadays because they're so jealous of you."

"Of course," the blonde said through a fake smile. "Thank you for telling me."

Now all she needed to do was tell Tyler to either keep it in his pants or be more discrete, though when they were married, she expected his promiscuous behavior to end. It was his duty as her husband to treat her as the princess she was and she would have _no one_ replace her. And unless Tyler wanted everything he owned to go to her, he would comply with her demands.

* * *

Damon smirked inwardly as he listened to Caroline cry out above him; the blonde was sitting in between Katherine's legs as the brunette held her in place, leather cuffs around her ankles as Damon's hands tightened on her thighs while his tongue flicked quickly over her clit. He glanced at her through his lashes as he worked her; if his mouth wasn't preoccupied he would have smirked at her loud moans of pleasure. Katherine grinned at him; she loved watching her beautiful submissive in the throes of passion. Caroline's hands tightened around her wrists when she kissed the blonde's head and she arched her back, her body trembling from pleasure.

"Isn't she beautiful Damon?" the heiress crooned over Caroline's cries, her accent heavy and her voice dripping with lust.

"Definitely. You're lucky you found her before I did," he smirked before continuing to suck on her. Caroline whimpered and writhed more.

"You even sound pretty," Katherine murmured as she ran her hands over the blonde's breasts, taking her rosy nipples between her fingers gently and sending more pleasure through her.

"She tastes divine. Does she have a sister? Perhaps a twin?" Damon brought his thumb to rub over her clit, watching as Caroline's face morphed and twisted in ecstasy.

"No love, only child," she kissed down the pale neck, still massaging her breasts. "Be happy I share with you."

Caroline gave a loud cry and arched up, her feet pulling against the leather cuffs attached to her ankles; Katherine could tell by the way her body quivered that she was close to orgasm.

"Oh I am. I always knew you would make a hell of a Dominant and that your submissive would be almost as flawless as you," Damon smirked before lowering his head back down to finish his job. Katherine smirked and held Caroline tightly, fingers moving over the pink buds faster and the blonde sobbed when she reached her peak. This was Katherine's favorite part, watching Caroline come undone to the point that she was gasping for air. Of course, she enjoyed being the one to bring her to that point but she loved watching Damon work.

Caroline collapsed against her panting wildly, her legs shaking visibly. Katherine smiled softly, "How was that my love?"

"It was…good…Mistress," she said breathlessly, accepting a kiss from the Bulgarian. Katherine pecked her again before laying her down gently and bringing Damon to her. Their lips met hungrily; Caroline always turned them on. Katherine never had relations with anyone else unless her submissive was involved and Damon enjoyed both women in his bed. They were a package deal and he wouldn't have it any other way.

"You feel okay, Caroline? Do you want to keep going?" Damon asked the still trembling blonde as he pulled away from Katherine. She nodded still not able to speak from the intense pleasure she was feeling.

"I believe it's my turn," Katherine whispered seductively and she crawled to Caroline straddled her kissing her neck. She grabbed the leather cuffs that were hanging from the headboard and tied each of the blonde's heavy arms. When Caroline was comfortably and securely tied she slid down languidly to her breasts, mouthing them gently. Damon licked his lips at the sight of Katherine taking the bud in her mouth and Caroline's back arching off the bed once more. Sliding lower to her stomach, she left feathery kisses around her navel and on her quivering thighs. Damon had moved behind her and kissed down her back; she knelt on the bed, presenting herself to him and he smirked at the sight of the two lovely women before him. Caroline watched Katherine breathlessly; head foggy from the drug and from becoming aroused all over again. The brunette Bulgarian turned to Damon and smirked at him before turning back to Caroline and lowering her head to fulfill her sub's needs, groaning as Damon entered her from behind. Once again, the room was filled with Caroline's cries of pleasure.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo**

"Thank you, Elijah," Tyler said as the butler delivered two trays and two plates of Cornish Hen, wild rice and vegetables with a glass of Chardonnay for him and water for Jeremy. The butler nodded and closed the door. Tyler watched as Jeremy stared down at his plate, as if he was wondering if it was alright for him to be eating.

"Eat," Tyler demanded; on cue Jeremy picked up his fork and started putting food in his mouth. His complete submission made Tyler excited; this might be easier than he previously thought.

"So Jeremy, tell me about yourself," Tyler said as he ate his own food while watching the boy carefully; he knew being around him made him uncomfortable and he was going to change that very quickly.

"Um…well I've lived in Nivea all my life and I…" Jeremy trailed off uncertainly, biting his lip. Tyler's cock stirred in his pants as he watched the plump lip disappear behind white teeth and couldn't help but want to be the one biting Jeremy's lip.

"Go on, don't be afraid Jeremy. I won't judge you," Tyler coaxed gently. Jeremy looked at him before looking down again.

"My parents died when I was nine," he said sadly. "They were in a car accident coming home from a play while I was with the babysitter. I was in foster care until I was eighteen...then I left when I got a job at The Pier. My friend's mother—Bonnie's mother—is good friends with the manager and she put in a good word for me."

Tyler watched Jeremy sadly; he thought losing one parent was hard enough. He didn't know what he would do if he lost his mother too. His heart went out to Jeremy as the pale boy continued to eat his food, noticeably slower than before. He had heard stories about the foster care system and none of them were good; maybe that was why Jeremy was so skittish and on edge all the time.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Tyler said truly. "That must have been hard on you."

"It was…but then I met Bonnie and her mother. They would take care of me when—" Jeremy abruptly stopped and Tyler frowned.

"When what?"

"Ah…nothing—nothing," he looked at Tyler nervously, his eyes begging Tyler to drop it but the billionaire pressed on.

"Jeremy, tell me," he commanded in that tone that made Jeremy give in. The boy sighed and looked down again.

"They would take care of me when…when things got to be too bad in my foster homes."

"How many families did you go to?" Tyler asked, his heart breaking for the scared boy in front of him.

Jeremy sighed again; Tyler could tell he was holding back tears with the way his breath shook. "Three."

Tyler's eyes went wide; three different families? He didn't see Jeremy as being a problem child so the problems must have been in the families. By the way Jeremy wouldn't look at him, he knew nothing good had happened in those homes and he wondered why Bonnie's mother didn't adopt him.

He set his tray on the coffee table and scooted closer to Jeremy, taking note of how the boy watched him out of the corner of his eye and scooted just an inch away from him. He put a hand on Jeremy's shoulder and he jumped.

"They're the ones who hurt you," Tyler whispered as his hand trailed to Jeremy's neck, squeezing comfortingly. He shivered and stiffened under Tyler's hand. "They're the reason you're scared to be touched."

Jeremy didn't respond keeping his eyes on his food, his hand gripping the tray tightly. Anger flared in Tyler at the inadverdant admission and right then and there, he vowed he would help Jeremy work through this fear. No one should go through life being afraid of people and thinking that everyone they met was going to hurt them; Jeremy obviously hadn't had a very good childhood but he was going to make it his mission to see that he was given the care he lacked in his past. He would make sure this boy had a better future.

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**How'd you like that little teaser with Damon, Katherine and Caroline? Or what about Jeremy's past? Please let me know what you think! Reviews are lovee!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you for the reviews, I appreciate the amount of love this story (and all my other stories) is recieving. Please keep reviewing, I'd love to know what you guys think or if you have any ideas or suggestions! PrsctrTails , you rock for reminding me about Andie Star, turns out I needed her more than I thought :) so thank you.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

* * *

The morning sun reflected off the roof of the house and streamed into the large windows of Tyler Lockwood's bedroom. Jeremy knew he should probably wake up but he was so warm and comfortable he kept his eyes clothes and pretended to be asleep, even when he heard Tyler get up from the other side of the bed. He nearly had a panic attack when Tyler told him to get back in bed and he got in on the other side but Tyler reassured him there was more than enough room for both of them to sleep comfortably. Jeremy was more afraid he would do something embarrassing like cuddle with the billionaire but was relieved when he seemed to stay on his side of the bed.

He opened one eye when the door to Tyler's bathroom opened, steam wafting out and from Tyler's body. Jeremy blushed as he realized Tyler was only covered by a towel but instead of closing his eye, he opened the other one to get a better view. He'd be a fool to deny he was greatly attracted to Tyler; he had gorgeous skin, his eyes were dark and sultry, his face was all high cheek-bones and full lips and his body…Jeremy thought he would die when Tyler removed the towel, giving him a clear view of his backside. He wondered if Tyler knew he was awake and he was putting on a show for him; it seemed like something the confident billionaire would do.

Tyler pulled on black dress pants and a crisp, white button-down before going into the bathroom again to do his hair. Jeremy couldn't help but realize that Tyler didn't see to take forever on his appearance and he found himself becoming quite envious of him; even if Tyler just left his hair the way it was he would still look good. The man was just naturally gorgeous and he, the little, pathetic 19-year-old busboy, always had the appearance of living in the slums. He sighed; the wealthy always seemed to have it so easy.

When Tyler came out the bathroom again he saw that Jeremy was awake and he gave him a slight smirk before going to sit on the edge of the bed next to him. "Good morning," he murmured. Jeremy shivered under the blankets; Tyler managed to make every sentence sound so suggestive.

"Morning," Jeremy mumbled, blinking to get the sleep out of his eyes. Tyler ran his fingers through Jeremy's hair and the boy sighed in contentment, leaning into the touch.

"I see you slept well." The fingers continued; Jeremy had to suppress the purr in his chest. "I'll have Elijah bring you breakfast. Since you only ate half of your dinner last night, I expect you to finish your plate this morning, alright?"

Jeremy rolled his eyes but consented anyways, "Okay."

"Don't roll your eyes, it's not polite," Tyler smirked. "You're not allowed to leave this room until that plate is clean, understood?"

Jeremy frowned; who the hell did this guy think he was, his boss? "Yes, I understand."

"Good boy," Tyler murmured, the smirk never leaving. "Katherine is taking another day off so she can watch over you. She and Elijah will be around if you need anything."

Tyler stood to leave when Jeremy asked a question. "How long are you going to keep me here? You know I have a life to get back to…and I'm sure Bonnie's worried about me."

"Don't worry about your job, I told them you were sick and to hold your position until you were well. And I have notified Ms. Bennett that you were unwell and that I was taking care of you. You may call her if you wish; I'm sure she would love to come back and see the rest of the house."

Jeremy blushed and ducked his head under the blankets; thankfully Tyler hadn't turned around so he wouldn't have to see that smirk. "I'll see you later, Jeremy." He left silently, shutting the door quietly. Five minutes later Elijah had set a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon and a glass of orange juice on the coffee table and had taken a pill out of the capsule to put on the plate.

"Master Lockwood requests you take another pill for your head. He does not want you to get a migraine," Elijah said formally before bowing and leaving the room. Jeremy sighed and sat in the armchair; he might as well get started if he wanted to leave the room. Something told him that Tyler would be checking to see if he actually ate all his food.

**Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

When Jeremy had successfully finished his plate and he had taken his pill, he dressed in the clothes that Tyler had set out for him in the chair next to the loveseat and left the room in search of Katherine or Caroline. He hoped to find Caroline alone so he could ask her about living in the Lockwood mansion, assuming she would even speak to him. She seemed to only do things as Katherine told her…like a slave.

Jeremy frowned as he rounded the corner and saw no one there. Katherine did order Caroline around but she didn't seem to mind. In fact, the blonde looked happy with being told what to do, like a pressure was lifted off her shoulders. Jeremy found that to be a little odd.

He passed a cracked door and decided to peak in; from the wooden bookcases lining the back wall and the mahogany desk with an expensive looking computer sitting on top of it, he could tell it was an office.

"Come in, Mr. Gilbert," Katherine's sultry voice called from inside. Jeremy swallowed before pushing the door open.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you," he said timidly. She smiled at him.

"Nonsense! Come, sit," she gestured to the beige loveseat near a potted plant and the open window. "How are you feeling today?"

"I'm fine, thank you," he said quietly as he watched her; she had her hair in a high pony-tail and was wearing sweats, something Jeremy didn't expect to see her in. Katherine looked like the type of woman to live in dresses and heels.

"The beauty of owning your own company is that you can pick and choose when to go into work and what you can do on the computer." She typed for a few moments before turning back to Jeremy. "Unless you are like my brother and people rely on you every day for something or another. It can be very stressful but I would not trade it for anything."

Jeremy nodded, wishing he knew what it was like to make your own work hours. With his position at The Pier, he could never see that happening. He felt disheartened at the fact that he would have to leave this lavish home and return to work and reality soon.

"I would have asked Caroline to keep you company but she is still asleep; she is a very heavy sleeper when she has marijuana in her system," Katherine smiled as she talked about Caroline; it made Jeremy burn with curiosity.

"Is Caroline your partner?" he blurted, then blushed and looked down when she turned to him. "I'm sorry…that was rude of me,"

"It is alright, Mr. Gilbert, there is no need to be embarrassed," she laughed. "Technically no, she is not my partner."

"Oh," was all the young man could say; he was thoroughly confused now. It was silent for a few moments before Katherine spoke again.

"Have you heard of Dominance and submission, Mr. Gilbert?"

Jeremy's head shot up at her words, immediately reminded of the chains and cuffs he found in Tyler's room. "I—no, I haven't."

"It means that one person has complete and total control over another human being. That one person willingly gives another control over their well-being, their future and their life. They obey the commands they are given and they accept all choices made for them. If they disobey their Dominant's orders they are disciplined then, with love and support, they are taught to not make those same mistakes again."

Jeremy blinked rapidly as he took this all in; it sounded like this went far beyond bedroom kinks. "So technically, Caroline is not my partner. She is my submissive."

"So she's like a…slave?" Jeremy asked uncertainly. Katherine grinned at his curiosity; she could tell he was very interested in their lifestyle and, even if he didn't know it, very turned on.

"If you would like to call it that; but when one thinks of a slave they think of brutal punishments and inflicting torture on the one they have control over for no reason. Submissives are treated almost like children in how you tell them what to do, how to dress, what their boundaries are in the house and how to act when you take them out. As a Dominant, you are expected to nurture your submissives; you have to teach them how to please you and when they do something beyond your expectations you give them a reward. The point of having a submissive is not to order someone around; it is to free the submissive from their responsibilities and give them freedom from making decisions, especially if they are destructive."

Jeremy nodded, swallowing heavily; to give someone complete control over his well-being seemed like what he needed but he could never allow someone to do that. Every decision that had ever been made for him by someone else had not ended well for him. Katherine continued to watch him with a glint in her eye that he hadn't noticed; she was going to make Jeremy realize that giving someone control wasn't always horrible.

"We live in a very troubled world, Mr. Gilbert and some people cannot handle everything life puts them through. They need someone to…guide them, to support them and be the crutch they lacked in their life." She came around the desk and sat on the sofa smiling mysteriously at him, "I think you are one of those people but you are scared to admit it."

His eyes widened and his heart started to beat faster. "Is that what Tyler thinks?" he whispered.

"That is what _I_ think. And I think Tyler would take very good care of you if you allow him to. He is not a cruel man, Mr. Gilbert. He will support you and cherish you. He could give you the freedom you seek."

"I—I don't—" he started to say but she laughed lightly and placed a careful hand on his knee, smiling when he didn't move away.

"You do search for freedom; I can see it in your face and in your movements. Imagine having a support system. Imagine being taken care of like when you were little and your parents made all your decisions; not having to worry about anything but obeying the rules of your master who only has your best interest at heart, even before his own."

"It sounds nice…but I don't think I could give my free will to someone," Jeremy said anxiously. "All my life, people have made choices for me and, one way or another, I've always wound up hurt. I know that if I make my own decisions I'll have a better chance of not getting hurt."

The Bulgarian woman smiled in sympathy; she knew all too well what Jeremy was talking about.

"But it is tiring to continuously worry about yourself, is it not?" she asked quietly. "Do you not get tired of working those long hours and making next to nothing? Or wondering how you are going to be able to afford your rent or food?" She leaned back into the sofa. "I have been in your position, Mr. Gilbert. I understand what you are going through and it took me a long time to accept that guidance was what I needed in my life to help me. I believe that, with a little guidance, you can find your way too."

Jeremy swallowed heavily again. There was something about this woman that screamed danger yet she seemed to understand how he felt; he knew she wouldn't hurt him. No one in this house would hurt him because they understood that people like him needed help and they were more than willing to give it. All he had to do was allow it.

"How long have you and Caroline…?" he trailed off, uncertain of the question he should ask. Katherine smiled and took pity on him.

"_Ma_ _chérie_ has been mine for two years," she said softly. "I knew her well before she knew me. I watched as she struggled from job to job and barely made her ends meet, how men treated her no better than a street whore, how she struggled with her drug addictions and how so many took advantage of her personality. She is a giver; she gives more than she takes and it has cost her too much. But that is what I love about her." She gave Jeremy a mysterious smile, "You might think that our lifestyle is not normal, Mr. Gilbert, but in time you will see how natural it is to live this way. How natural it is to let someone care for you and cherish you the way others would only dream of but would never allow to happen."

She stood and raked her nails lightly through his short hair; he was surprised his first reaction was not to flinch away. "I see I have given you plenty to think about. One should not think about such serious matters on an empty stomach. Elijah should be finished with preparing lunch. Would you prefer to eat outside or in?"

Jeremy was about to protest food altogether when his stomach growled loudly and he blushed, "Inside is fine."

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

Caroline was still asleep and Katherine was called to a conference meeting over Skype, leaving Jeremy to eat lunch alone. He was grateful for the time to think, Katherine's words waging an epic battle in his head. For as long as he'd been alive, he was taught that making your own decisions was a gift, a privilege everyone wanted. Having the independence to make your own choices in your life was a great responsibility and should be cherished. But Jeremy often wished, though he didn't want to admit it, that his parents were alive so they could tell him what to do. He was lost in this world; his parents were taken away from him too soon and every family he lived with had hurt him. The foster care agency hadn't cared about him and when he hit eighteen they threw him in the cheapest apartment they could find and abandoned him. He tried not to think of his parents abandoning him but it was hard not to see it that way. He had been struggling through life since he was 9-years-old and he was tired of being alone to protect himself.

These past few days in the Lockwood mansion, he realized, were the closest he came to human contact with people he hardly knew. He also realized that during this time, he didn't shy away from their touch as much as he normally would have and he didn't feel as nervous or anxious. Surprisingly, Tyler's presence was comforting to him, as was Katherine's. They were kind and spoke gently to him, letting him have the space he needed while also making sure he was staying healthy and healing from his wounds. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. If he were to become Tyler's submissive, would it be like this? Or would everything change? He could see Tyler being rough and inflicting punishment on a submissive who was disobedient but he did not seem like the type to inflict pain on others simply because he could. And he genuinely seemed to want to help Jeremy…

He groaned as he finished his plate and stood; Tyler would be proud that he finished his lunch plate as well. Shaking his head of the man he asked Elijah if he could use the phone; he needed to talk to someone he knew and get out of his own head for a while.

* * *

Tyler returned home an hour earlier than usual that day; he was eager to see Jeremy for reasons he couldn't explain. He told himself only to see how the boy was doing with his injuries but he knew, deep down, that wasn't the case. Jeremy fascinated him in ways he couldn't explain, the urge to have dominance over him being the only thing he could think about the past days he had been living at his house. He wanted to keep the fragile boy there, wanted to tell him it was alright if he stayed but he was sure Jeremy would decline and try to retreat back to his life before he was attacked. Tyler wasn't going to give him that chance; he would not let Jeremy live in fear like he had been since he met him.

"How's my boy?" he asked Katherine quietly as she kissed each of his cheeks in greeting.

She smirked. "I think I am getting through to him. He asked about Caroline so I shared her story. I think I pushed him in the right direction, though it would have been better if she could have told him her experiences."

Tyler returned the smirk. "This is becoming easier than I thought. He's almost there, I just need to give him that final push and then I'll have him."

"Yes you will," the smirk faded. "How is the search coming?"

"Still nothing," Tyler sighed as he sat on the sofa and asked Elijah to make him a rum and coke. "There are over two million people in Nivea, 100,000 in the Fifth District and thousands who live in that particular area. I don't even know if they live over there or if they're from another district." He thanked Elijah and took a long gulp from his drink. "I hope Matt and Kol are having better luck than I am."

"I am sure they have a few leads. They are good at what they do," Katherine surmised. "It always makes me wonder how the police have not caught on to what they are doing."

"Hopefully they never do. They break the laws of the system too much to get caught and the last thing I want are two of Nivea's best officers going away because they fight crime after hours." He finished his drink in another gulp and gave the glass to Elijah. "Is he upstairs?"

"Yes, he was feeling drowsy from the medicine and took a nap." Tyler nodded and started walking to the foyer and up the stairs.

"I would tell you good luck but I know you do not need it. You always get what you want," Katherine smirked and Tyler returned it before walking to his room and knocking quietly. Not receiving an answer he quietly pushed the door open, eyes immediately going to the figure under his blankets on the bed. He licked his lips and smirked at the sight; Jeremy looked good in his bed. Now he needed him to realize that.

He turned the lamps on to the lowest setting and padded to the sleeping boy quietly, sitting on the edge and running his fingers through his hair. Jeremy moaned in his sleep and nuzzled his head into his fingers, eyes opening after a few moments.

"Hi," he mumbled sleepily. Tyler ignored the way his heart skipped a beat at Jeremy's sleepy eyes.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked, his fingers never stopping their movement. Jeremy nodded, snuggling deeper into the blankets and looking ready to go back to sleep.

"Don't close your eyes, we need to talk," Tyler murmured. Jeremy let out a yawn and a small groan as he sat up and stretched. He blinked blearily at Tyler, "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing too serious," Tyler smirked. "It's about your apartment."

Jeremy frowned in confusion, "What about it?"

"I don't like it. It's in a dangerous neighborhood and what happened to you could easily happen again. You are not allowed to go back there. Instead, I have decided you will stay here."

Jeremy stared at him, completely awake and alert now; who did Tyler think he was telling him where to live? "No, I won't! I have to go home! I have a job I need to get back to!"

"That's another thing I wanted to bring up. You're going to quit," Tyler said nonchalantly, as if he were talking about the weather. "I don't think you should be working there anyways, it's a dead end job and you can do a lot better."

"What!" Jeremy cried. "You can't…you can't just tell me to quit! Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Seeing as I'm the owner of the restaurant, I _can_ tell you to quit, and you will," Tyler said with a growing smirk, like he knew Jeremy would listen to him. He watched as the boy stared at him in shocked disbelief then in anger and he threw the covers off of him.

"No, no this is too far. I thank you for saving me and letting me stay here while I recovered but I don't agree to this. It's too much." He found his jeans on the chair and quickly changed out of the pajama bottoms, leaving them pooled on the floor as he dressed hurriedly. Tyler watched him, his smirk growing even more; if only Jeremy knew that he already had him.

"Where are you going Jeremy?" he asked in amusement. Jeremy turned to him, the anger still alive in his eyes.

"I'm going home to my apartment in my _unsafe_ neighborhood. It may not be up to your standards but I've worked hard for that place and I'm not going to give it up just because you want me to! Not everyone can afford nice things like you!" Once he tied his shoe he marched to the door but Tyler's next words made him freeze.

"You will if you want your friend to keep her job."

Jeremy's eyes went wide; he should have known that Tyler wouldn't have forgotten about that. He turned around and faced the smirking billionaire, "You're blackmailing me into staying here?"

"I prefer the term 'persuading'," he smirked, standing. "I wouldn't have to if you would just do as I say but you insist on defying me."

"Defying you?" Jeremy exclaimed. "I'm not your slave! You can't order me around like I'm a dog!"

Tyler's smirk, if anything, grew wider, "Not yet, but once you sign the contract, I'll be able to do whatever I want to you, including ordering you around."

Jeremy stared at him, not knowing whether to laugh or run out the door screaming. Tyler sounded dead serious; he wanted to make him his new slave, his submissive. The thought was as terrifying as it was exciting.

"What do you want from me?" he whispered as he backed into the corner near the door, watching Tyler with wide, terrified eyes. "I just want to go home! I don't want any part of this game you're playing!"

"It's not a game, Jeremy," Tyler murmured, his smirk disappearing and taking careful steps towards the scared boy. "I've been watching you since Christmas and you need someone to take care of you. You're lost and alone and you need someone to support you. I can provide you with what you need; I can give you the guidance you've been looking for."

Jeremy shook his head frantically as he pressed himself further into the corner; he had no idea where this was coming from but could not allow himself to get caught up in the fantasy of being swept off his feet by this billionaire. That type of thing didn't happen to people like him.

"I don't need—"

"You do," Tyler said in a firm gentleness, inching closer. "You need what I'm offering you. You need someone stable in your life that can support in ways you've lacked since your parents died. Don't you want to be able to get close to someone, to depend on them and let them show you love and care?"

Jeremy was silent for a while. "I want to be able to…have a relationship," he said finally, keeping his eyes down, "but I'm…I'm scared to get close to another man," he admitted softly. "I'm scared that they'll hurt me…like when I was younger."

Tyler looked at him; brown eyes filled with sympathy and he stepped closer until he was in front of Jeremy, slowly bringing his hands to cup his pale face.

"I won't hurt you," he whispered. "Trust me, Jeremy."

His eyes watered and he shook his head, ready to flee but there was nowhere for him to go; Tyler had him cornered. He flinched when he felt the hands slip down to his sides and a kiss to his neck, whimpering when Tyler nuzzled the area and he gripped his thick biceps tightly.

"Wh-What are you doing?" he asked anxiously. Tyler nuzzled his neck more and pressed a lingering kiss to the skin.

Jeremy squirmed, shivers of pleasure and terror rolling up and down his back. "Tyler!" he cried out in fear.

"Shh," he whispered. "I won't hurt you."

"I can't," he whispered, tears starting to leak out of his eyes slowly as he tried to curl in on himself. "Oh God…I can't—"

"You're safe; no one is going to hurt you. Never again, I won't let them. Let me take care of you Jeremy. Just give in to me and let me take care of you," Tyler whispered, lips leaving a burning a trail along Jeremy's neck to his ear. He caught the lobe, suckling gently and enjoying the shivers he was giving Jeremy. He knew this was a little wrong, considering how Jeremy feared people touching him but Jeremy wanted him; he could tell by the way his body was responding and how Jeremy wasn't pushing him away. The billionaire considered this as merely helping him give in; Jeremy needed someone to take control and Tyler was more than willing to give Jeremy what he needed. The boy needed some stability in his life after everything he'd been through.

Jeremy was panting now; he was beyond terrified at what Tyler was doing to him. He hadn't been intimately close to anyone besides Bonnie in a long time but he couldn't deny that he was completely roused by Tyler's actions and his fear was slowly ebbing away. Tyler's lips skimmed his jaw and his chin, trailed up to his cheek and then the other and then he pulled back slowly. Jeremy held back a whine of protest and looked into the Lockwood heir's eyes.

"I'm going to kiss you," he said softly and moved in, not giving Jeremy time to think about his words. The other man completely froze when their lips touched, his grip tightening on Tyler's arms considerably but he didn't mind; he liked the idea of Jeremy hanging onto him for support. His tongue flicked along Jeremy's lips and the other man gasped lightly, allowing Tyler's tongue to slowly invade his mouth. One of Tyler's hands came to cup Jeremy's neck and he whimpered as he bent down, tongue darting out to meet Tyler's tentatively. He sighed as their tongues merely touched each other and nothing more; when air became a necessity, Tyler pulled back and gave Jeremy a small smile. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"No," Jeremy whispered in surprised awe. "That was…that was my real first kiss."

If Tyler was surprised, he didn't show it. "So it's safe to say you've never been with anyone before."

Jeremy flushed in embarrassment and looked down. Tyler tipped his head up gently with his hand under his chin. "That's nothing to be ashamed of Jeremy. Don't ever be ashamed of that, alright?"

"I just never...I've never felt comfortable—"

"And that's fine. I'm glad I'll be the first." Tyler meant every word; if he thought Jeremy was sexy already, the thought that he had never been touched by anyone else excited him greatly.

"You sound like an alpha male," Jeremy laughed weakly and Tyler chuckled.

"What can I say? I'm a possessive man." He massaged Jeremy's neck soothingly and it comforted him. "I will support you and care for you. In return, you give yourself to me but only on terms we both agree to. I never do anything you don't want me to and I stop whenever you ask. There are safe words I will teach you to say whenever I do something you are not comfortable with and there are limits we will discuss so you can tell me what you are and aren't willing to do." He ran his fingers through Jeremy's hair, knowing it brought the boy comfort. "This is not a game, it is very real and very important that you trust me, otherwise this won't work. So what do you say, Jeremy? Will you give yourself to me willingly? Can you trust me not to hurt you?"

Jeremy licked his lips and sighed shakily; he was tired of fighting himself about this. Deep down, he knew he wanted Tyler and he wanted this, and it's not like Tyler would have taken no for an answer anyways.


	7. Chapter 7

**Ahh my reviewers are too kind :) thank you all for your comments and reviews, I truly appreciate them. And now on with the chapter, don't forget to review! :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own.**

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"So he came around, did he?" Damon asked as Tyler walked down the stairs. Tyler gave him a smirk, looking like the cat that finally caught the canary and washed him down with a bowl of milk. "Is he pretty?"

"He's beautiful. And he has come around; all he needs is to sign the contract," he said as he sat next to Damon, his smirk turning into a smile as he nodded in greeting to Caroline. He looked at Katherine. "I was hoping that Caroline could be his mentor? Talk to him so he has some idea of what he's getting into."

"Of course, she would be more than happy to help," Katherine simpered as she ran a hand through the blonde head of hair that was leaning back against the couch her mistress was sitting on. "I am glad he finally gave in. Where is he?"

"He's sleeping; he was tired so I told him we would discuss things more in the morning. I don't think I want him to sign anything just yet, I want him to trust me more; he's been hurt too much in the past and he needs to know he's safe with me."

"I can't wait to meet him. I'm sure he's a doll," Damon said batting his eyelids. Tyler hit him as Katherine laughed.

"I don't know if I want you to meet him, you might scare the hell out of him."

"Please, I'm harmless! You're just afraid he might want me for a Dom."

"Yeah right, he definitely wants me," Tyler snorted. "You're nowhere near the Dom I am."

"You two…does everything have to be such competition?" Katherine said fondly, hand still running through Caroline's hair. "You are both good Dominants. You each have a different style but you do what is expected of you and that is all that matters." Caroline let out a purr from her place on the floor and Katherine smiled, massaging her scalp.

"Yeah…but I'm still better," Damon said sticking his tongue out at Tyler. He chuckled.

"Whatever you say, crazy bastard."

"So why him?" Damon asked, all joking aside. "I've never seen you work so hard to get someone to submit to you. If he were anyone else you would have moved on by now."

"I don't know…something about him intrigues me," Tyler said. "And I didn't put in a lot of work…it just took longer than usual to get him to agree that submitting is the best thing for him."

"He is very nervous around us," Katherine mused. "I believe he thinks he will be treated like a slave. His attack has left him very shaken."

Tyler frowned as he thought about what he knew so far about Jeremy; he wasn't sure exactly what happened in his past but he planned on finding out. Something told him it was more serious than Jeremy wanted him to know.

"He lost his parents when he was younger and he's bounced around in foster care ever since. You know most of the parents who adopt those kids are cruel; they only get the kids so they can get the paycheck the agency sends them each month."

"That is awful," Katherine said in horror, placing her hand over her mouth. "When did his parents die?"

"When he was nine. He has abandonment issues, which is probably why he was reluctant to submit even though he knows he needs it."

"Well you'll just have to show him how we do things," Damon said with a smirk. "I take it you won't be sharing him."

"Fuck no, he's a virgin."

Damon laughed. "No wonder why you want him so bad! A submissive virgin is hard to find these days."

"It's not just about that Damon," Tyler exasperated rolling his eyes. "He's terrified of people touching him; I just gave him his first kiss an hour ago. It wouldn't be in his best interest if I passed him around to people he doesn't know. I chose him because he needs one person to rely on for stability. He's not just some guy I picked out of a party who I feel like dominating; he's a terrified boy who needs someone to be there for him. I know what that's like."

"You see some of yourself in him," Katherine said softly in understanding. "You want to help him because you were once that boy."

Tyler nodded, "I was the opposite of him but I was lost nonetheless. I can help him and I will. I don't want to see him live in fear of people and stay at that dead end job because he's terrified of what will happen beyond that."

Damon nodded, his smirk replaced by a small smile. "Wow…you've really come a long way. Stefan will be proud of you—both of you have come so far," he nodded in Katherine's direction and she smiled back.

"We could not have done it without either of you. I fear that if we did not come to you when we did we would be in a terrible position. And I would have never found _ma petit amour_," she gazed at Caroline affectionately.

"You're lucky we were in the market for new submissives at the time," Damon chuckled. "I thought Stefan was kidding when he introduced Tyler to me—you don't look like the submissive type at all." He chuckled, turning to him.

"I'm not," Tyler laughed. "But I needed it. Mason said I needed discipline."

"Mason must have been desperate if he went to the drill sergeant," Damon snorted. "You know Stefan married one of his subs?"

Tyler's eyebrows shot up. "Really? Who?"

"Won't tell me. He says he's keeping it a secret for a while but get this—he has _another_ submissive. And I know for a fact that the last one he had was a woman—that has to be the one he married—but no one's ever seen her."

"Interesting," Tyler mused curiously. "Can you find out who they are?"

"What do you think I've been trying to do?" Damon snorted. "He's kept this under wraps for almost a year now; I wasn't even invited to the wedding! How could he keep this from me? I'm his brother!"

"The same reason I plan on keeping Jeremy a secret. The same reason Katherine doesn't tell anyone about Caroline. For their protection," Tyler said understandingly. "You know what would happen if people were to find out about our subs; it would be a never ending media circus for all of us. Then we'd have to deal with Mikael."

"That shady bastard," Damon growled. "He's up to something. I've been helping Matt and Kol investigate the disappearances of these people who are always in contact with him in some way a couple of days before they're gone. Whatever he's doing…it's not good Ty."

Tyler sighed and ran a hand through his hair; this was the reason they couldn't let any subs of theirs be exposed. He had a feeling he knew what kind of business Mikael was into and he would be damned if he let anything happen to his family or his charge because of him.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

A week had passed since Jeremy's attack and he'd been living in the Lockwood Mansion. Tyler had told him he didn't want him to sign anything just yet; the billionaire wanted him to feel safe and comfortable with him before giving himself over, though he did have Jeremy sign a non-disclosure agreement stating he would not discuss details of the billionaire's lifestyle to anyone with the exception of Katherine, Caroline and the Salvatore brothers. Jeremy snorted at that; Lockwood had blackmailed him into living here just so he could feel safe with him and then forbade him to talk about it with anyone. He didn't understand the man sometimes, though he could understand the need for the secrecy; the media would be all over them if they knew.

Tyler had introduced him to the Salvatore brothers and Jeremy didn't think he had met a more opposite pair; Stefan, though younger, seemed to take on the role of the older brother and he seemed to always have a serious expression on his handsome face. Damon, the opposite, had wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at him and seemed to flirt with him quite a lot , something that made Jeremy a little uncomfortable at first but he grew used to it the longer he was around him. By the time they had left Jeremy was comfortable around both brothers and even laughing at the jokes Damon cracked about Tyler and his brother. He wondered if he had a past with Katherine since he seemed to flirt with her the most and how that affected her relationship with Caroline.

He made his way outside to the patio where Elijah had prepared three bowls of soup that could have fed ten people each but only Caroline was sitting at the table. She smiled when she saw him, like she did the past two days he came out to each lunch. "Hi Jeremy."

"Hey Caroline," he smiled back as he sat next to her. He went to pour a bowl of soup for himself when Elijah took the ladle and the bowl from him, telling him to relax. When he went back to his post by the door, Jeremy shook his head. "It's going to take me a while to get used to that."

"It took me a while too," Caroline giggled. "It's weird from going to having to do everything yourself to having everything done for you."

Jeremy hummed and took a bite of his clam chowder; it was amazing how much his life had changed since a week ago; if anyone would have told him he'd be sitting here eating lunch at the Lockwood Mansion with a girl he thought was Tyler Lockwood's slave, he would have thought they were crazy. He could only imagine the look on Bonnie's face if he ever got to tell her what had been happening with him, of course leaving out the part where he agreed to allow the dashing billionaire to control his every move.

"Mistress says you'll be staying with us," Caroline said as she put her bowl down. "I'm glad I'll have someone to talk to. I've tried talking to Elijah a couple of times but he doesn't say much."

Jeremy chuckled as he brought the bowl to his lips. "He looks pretty stiff. I wonder how he got the job."

"He's efficient and he keeps the house clean. Other than that, I don't know much about him. But Master and Mistress must trust him if they allow him to stay home with us here. They don't like having people in their home while we're present and they aren't. They're very protective."

"I understand. I can't imagine what it must be like to have the media always trying to pry into your life," Jeremy said slightly sympathetic. "How have you been able to stay out of the public eye? Haven't people asked you how you know Katherine and Tyler?"

"Whenever Mistress brings me to a party, she tells everyone that I am her German niece from Belgium," Caroline laughed. "People just nod and agree with it because I'm not the one they want to know everything about. When Mistress says I can leave the house I must go with Elijah and wear a scarf over my hair and big sunglasses so no one recognizes me, not that anyone would anyways. Hardly anyone sees me and I prefer it that way."

Jeremy nodded, noting the way Caroline referred to Tyler as 'Master' and Katherine as 'Mistress'. It sounded weird to him but his mind told him once he was trained it wouldn't be so foreign to him.

"What's training like?" he asked a little anxiously. He knew that he wasn't to be treated as a slave but he was having a hard time picturing what sort of 'training' he would need.

"Don't look so nervous, it's nothing painful," Caroline giggled as she poured herself more soup. "Master Tyler will just show you how he wants you to behave to please him, what to call him and what safe words to use. You'll also go over the terms of the contract and negotiate what works out for both of you."

"You mean…I can have a say?" Jeremy asked surprised. Caroline nodded with a smile.

"You always get a say. We give them power over us and in return, they make us happy and make sure we are well taken care of. Even in their terms of a total power exchange, you can choose what you are comfortable with and what you're not. Master and Mistress don't want us to be slaves; they treat us like human beings."

Jeremy hummed again, taking all of this in. He felt better knowing that he at least had some say in what he would and wouldn't allow to happen to him. Tyler looked like a reasonable man; he looked like he would be willing to accommodate to Jeremy's needs. It confused him why Tyler and Katherine felt the need to have control over someone if not to do everything for them; maybe it was a form of therapy?

"So how long have you been with Katherine and…and Damon?" Jeremy asked uncertainly; he wasn't sure if it was considered rude to ask, he was still new to this whole thing.

"Two years," she said as she fingered the diamond heart pendant around her neck with a fond smile. "Master Damon comes around from time to time. Mistress and Master Damon have a past together; she used to be his submissive."

"What?" Jeremy sputtered in surprise. "For how long?"

"I'm not sure. I just know that, during that time, they fell in love but she was too much of a Dominant to keep being his submissive, so he let her go. Supposedly, he hasn't found another sub since Mistress."

Jeremy wondered about Katherine's story but decided not to pry. "Is it weird…to be shared with another Dominant?"

"At first I was scared," she admitted as she took another spoonful of soup, "but the more he came around the more comfortable I became. He's always gentle and he never makes me do anything I don't want to. Sometimes they even allow me to smoke a little pot to enhance my experience but you're not really supposed to do that in a scene so it doesn't happen that much. I'm sure Master Tyler will have you try it too," she giggled and Jeremy blushed at the thought of what a _session_ with Tyler entailed.

"How did Master Tyler find you?" she asked curiously. "We were all shocked when he said he found his submissive. He hasn't seen anyone he's wanted to actually keep around for a long time."

"I…" Jeremy swallowed nervously; he might as well tell her, everyone else knew. "My best friend works for his company and she...we snuck into his Christmas party because she put fake names for us on the guest list. We were…exploring upstairs and he caught us in his room with the chains. He told my friend to leave but he wanted me to stay; I think he was going to show me everything he had but I was too scared. I didn't want to know," Jeremy laughed and Caroline joined him. "About a week ago…I was attacked by a group of guys and he saved my life," Jeremy said softly. "I would have been dead if not for him and he let me stay here while I recovered. He's…he's been really good to me here," he admitted and Caroline smiled.

"He was very worried about you," Caroline said. "He told everyone not to call him for anything unless it was an emergency for two days so he could watch over you. I think he would have stayed longer if Master Stefan and Mistress hadn't urged him to go back to work."

Jeremy opened his mouth to ask about Stefan when a new voice interrupted. "I see you've finished your lunch. I'll have to reward you later."

Shivers went down his spine when Tyler appeared behind him, his fingers finding his hair and rubbing tenderly. Jeremy resisted the urge to purr as Caroline watched them with a smile.

"Have you been telling him how our household works, Caroline?"

"Yes, sir," she chirped happily. "He's learning a lot."

"Good, that's what I like to hear." His hand trailed to Jeremy's neck and around it, his large hands massaging the front of his neck for a moment. "Where is the Mistress?"

"At work, sir," she replied. "She wanted for me to tell you that she would see you later tonight."

"I see," Tyler hummed. "Well if you don't mind, I'm going to have to steal him for a bit. You two will have plenty of time to talk later."

Caroline nodded and smiled at Jeremy, "It was nice talking to you Jeremy."

"You too," he said softly as he stood, his heart starting to race at being alone with Tyler. He followed the billionaire inside, stopping when Tyler turned to him. "What?"

"Since you're now living here, we'll need to get rid of your apartment," Tyler said matter-of-factly. "We're leaving to get your belongings."

"I can go alone, I don't need a bodyguard," Jeremy protested; he didn't want Tyler to see the dump he'd been living in.

"I don't think so," Tyler said and he grabbed Jeremy's arm, walking to the 5-car garage. He grabbed a set of keys from the counter near the door and pressed the unlock button; the white Escalade that sat between a black Lamborghini and a silver Porsche unlocked automatically.

"Tyler, please," Jeremy pleaded, dread filling him. "This really isn't necessary—"

"Do you not understand that it is dangerous over there? That you were attacked a week ago?" Tyler exasperated. "You need to move your belongings and you aren't going alone."

"But you never said I had to move in now—"

"If we decide to end our contract, I will find you another home in a safer neighborhood, preferably a gated one in District Two. Right now, however, I'm driving you home to get your belongings," Tyler said with an air of finality. "Get in the car."

Jeremy sighed and refrained from rolling his eyes as he got in the Escalade and they took off to Jeremy's side of town. The scenery changed noticeably as they left District Three and entered Districts Four and Five; there were considerably less trees, the grass had gone from vibrant green to brown and the houses went from nice and neat to shabby and falling apart. The car was filled with silence, Jeremy occasionally giving Tyler directions quietly. When they arrived, Jeremy did his best to not look at Tyler; he didn't want to see the look of disgust or pity on the man's face when he realized how poor he was.

"It's on the second floor," he muttered as he parked the car. He could feel Tyler's eyes burning into him.

"Let's go," he said simply and got out the car. Jeremy sighed and followed suit, going past Tyler and to the stairs, making sure to keep his head down the whole time. He found his keys in his pocket and he fumbled with them for a moment before he pushed the door open. His apartment hadn't changed one bit, not that he expected it to; he heard Tyler walked behind him and he cringed at what he could have been possibly thinking. Pushing his desolate thoughts to the back of his mind he immediately set to work on getting his clothes, which could all fit in his beat up duffle bag, and the picture of his parents, trying desperately to ignore his shaking hands and the tears of shame that were burning in his eyes. Tyler didn't say a word, simply watching as the scattered boy walked through his apartment gathering his measly belongings quickly.

"I'm ready," he whispered, the lump in his throat not allowing him to speak any higher. He walked past Tyler to the door but found himself being pulled back into the older man's arms. A hand grabbed his chin in a slightly painful grip and he found his head being raised slightly to look into smoldering brown eyes.

"There is no need to be embarrassed Jeremy. Stop belittling yourself, I don't like when you do that."

Jeremy blinked rapidly pressing his lips together but he couldn't stop the few tears that escaped, his embarrassment rising to new heights. Tyler's eyes took on a softer look and he carded one hand through his brown hair.

"I don't think any less of you, Jeremy. I want you for your personality, not what you own."

Jeremy nodded as best he could and smiled slightly, Tyler's words making him feel a whole lot better. Tyler smiled back and kissed his forehead in a rare moment of affection, wondering why he did so but the smile Jeremy gave him made him stop questioning it.

When they walked back outside Jeremy stopped and turned to Tyler, "What about my rent for this month? I…I don't think I'll be able to afford it since I haven't been to work—"

"I'll take care of it," Tyler said. Jeremy opened his mouth to protest but stopped when Tyler fixed him with a glare. "Give me your key and go wait in the car."

Jeremy rolled his eyes at Tyler's demanding attitude and felt a light smack on his arm. "What?"

"You're lucky you haven't signed anything yet, otherwise I would be laying you across my lap for that," he growled, referring to Jeremy's eye-roll. "Go wait in the car, now."

"Fine," Jeremy grumbled petulantly, ignoring the way his heart sped up and the twitch he felt in his loins at the mention of being laid across the billionaire's lap like a naughty child. He got in the passenger's seat and set his bag on the floor, sighing heavily as he thought about all that was happening to him. How the hell was he going to explain this to Bonnie and her mother without telling them the whole story? Maybe Tyler would make an exception but he doubted it. It just seemed unfair that he had to keep them in the dark about what had happened to him; they were the closest thing he had to a family since he met her in middle school.

Tyler hopped back in the car a few moments later, his trademark smirk gracing his face. "Your landlord was very nice. He told me that it wasn't necessary to cover this month's rent."

Jeremy stared at him; his landlord was a dick who made sure to collect on his money each month, usually upping the price. He was sure Tyler didn't have to do much to get him out of the payment but he was grateful.

Silence filled the car once more as they took off for Tyler's mansion. "I don't want you traveling all the way from District One to four to work at The Pier," Tyler said quietly as they navigated through the rough streets of Jeremy's old neighborhood. "I'll give them your two weeks' notice when I come to check on it on Friday."

"Why are you doing this?" Jeremy asked, turning to face Tyler. "Why are you doing all of this for me?"

"Because it's far," Tyler frowned, looking at Jeremy for a quick second before turning back to the road. "I can't look after you properly if I'm all the way across town and I have more than enough money to provide for you."

"That's not what I mean," he whispered as he looked down at his lap. "Why do you want me as your submissive? I'm sure you've had…other offers from people who have had more experience in…in this type of relationship and—and sexually and who can offer you more than anything I can give you…" he swallowed heavily, cursing the tears he felt forming in his eyes again; being around Tyler made him realize how little he compared to the glorious billionaire. "I'm a 19-year-old orphan who can barely make rent each month. I've never been in a relationship, I'm scared of people touching me and I just had my first kiss a couple days ago. I don't know what you're expecting me to do as your…as your submissive but I don't know if I can fulfill your needs because I've never done something like this before. I guess—I guess I just don't understand what you could see in me or why you even _want_ me. No one ever has," he finished quietly, his tears starting to fall.

Tyler felt his heart clench at Jeremy's painful words and he pulled into a nice neighborhood at the beginning of District Three, parking the Escalade in front of a two-story white cottage. He turned to Jeremy and lifted his chin, wiping away the tears that were falling with his other hand.

"Listen to me," he said quietly, firmly. "You are everything I have been looking for in a submissive. You don't need to worry about how you're going to fulfill my needs; I will train you and teach you everything you need to know. As for you being a virgin, I relish the fact that I will be the first to touch you," he gave Jeremy a suggestive smile and wiggled his eyebrows, making the younger man give a watery chuckle. "Don't feel ashamed, it's actually refreshing to know some still exist." He combed his fingers through the boy's hair. "We're going to take this slow, Jeremy. I care about your needs and what's best for you; I need you to trust that I know what I'm doing and that I won't hurt you. My job as your Dominant is to make sure you are well provided for physically, mentally, emotionally, financially and spiritually. I just need you to trust me; I know that's going to be hard for you given your past but I'm going to help you get past that too. Okay?"

"Okay," Jeremy murmured, giving Tyler a small smile. Tyler kissed his forehead again and they took off to District One.

* * *

"Father!" Rebekah called as she walked briskly through the foyer of her three story mansion. Her heels clicked on the marble floor in rhythm as she walked through the open hallway that led into the living room into the bar and large kitchen with granite countertops. She frowned impatiently when she couldn't find anyone.

"Hello?" she yelled in irritation as she turned around to walk to the other side of the house where her father's study was. As she got closer she could hear loud voices, making her frown more and slow her steps as she tried to listen.

"…what you're doing is illegal! I'm going to find it, I swear I will and when I do, you're going down!"

"I can't wait to see what you think you'll find!" Mikael snapped back. "I'm not hiding a god-damned thing, you ungrateful bastard! Why can't you just admit that you made the whole thing up becasue I won't let you see Henrik!"

"I'm not going to let you turn my brother into a criminal! He can do a hell of a lot better than you and Elijah!" Rebekah gasped as she recognized her brother's voice. But why was Kol here? She hadn't seen him since he left years ago and her father had forbidden her and Henrik, the youngest of the bunch, from contacting him.

Mikael's cold laughter rang through the door, "You're pathetic! If I was into something criminal as you put it, why would you think I would tell anyone anything about it? How do you know those people just haven't skipped town? They're transient!"

"Ben wasn't transient! He went home every fucking night until he disappeared! He's a responsible guy!" Kol shouted. "And Vicki is never late for work; all of a sudden she stops showing up? Without calling her supervisor or anyone? The last time either of them was seen was at night a couple of days after they had run into your goons!"

"You can't prove a thing," Mikael snarled. Suddenly the door was opening and Rebekah had no time to hide as Michel stormed out, Kol hot on his heels. His face softened when he saw her, "Hey Bekah."

"Don't speak to her! You're not welcome in this house, get out!" Mikael lashed. Kol glared at him before going to his sister and embracing her stunned figure.

"Are you alright?" he murmured. She barely nodded before Mikael was grabbing Kol by his arm and shoving him towards the door.

"Father! What are you doing?" Rebekah cried as she watched them.

"This good-for-nothing bastard isn't welcome here! I told you Rebekah, he's a bad influence for you and your brother!" Mikael snarled as he threw open the door and shoved Kol outside. "Don't ever come here again! If you do I'll have you arrested for trespassing!"

"Really?" Kol laughed. "I'm the fucking police Mikael! You really think they'll arrest me for trespassing in my own home?"

"This isn't your home!" Mikael yelled. "Stay the hell away from me and my children!" He slammed the door in his face, letting out a growl of frustration before turning to face his daughter. "You are to stay away from him, understand?"

"No, I don't," she snapped. "He's my brother! I should be allowed to see him whenever I please!"

"You won't see him if you want to keep your trust fund!" he snapped. "Do not defy me Rebekah because I will take your money away!"

She stared at him in shock as he stormed past her and she finally got her voice to work when he was nearly in the living room. "Mother would be devastated if she saw this now! If she saw what you've done to our family—!"

"You're mother isn't here to pass judgment!" he yelled as he whirled around; Rebekah flinched as she saw his red face full of anger. "I am the head of this household! You will follow _my_ rules or you will be out like your brother! Do I make myself clear?"

A deafening silence rang in the hall as Rebekah stared at her father in shock and he held her gaze with an angry one of his own. After a few moments Rebekah answered with a minute, "Very clear."

"Good; now I believe you have an event to get ready for with Lockwood. What time is the limo picking you up?"

"At—at seven," she murmured before she ran upstairs to her room. She slammed the door and sat on her king-sized bed with her head in her hands, wondering what in the world was going on between her father and Kol. She didn't know how but she planned on finding out; she didn't like being kept in the dark.

* * *

**Reviews are love!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far! I appreciate the love a lot! :) And now I present the chapter you have all been waiting for ;) the Jyler BDSM starts here and there is sex from here on out in nearly every chapter. But who doesn't love a vulnerable Jeremy and Tyler making it all better? :) Enjoy! And don't forget to review!**

**Warning: Slash and bondage. This will be present in most chapters from here on out so this is the only warning I will post. You will know when the scenes are coming so you can skip them if you need to.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries or characters associated with the show.**

* * *

Jeremy sighed as he woke up in his bed alone; Tyler had other bedrooms that he and Bonnie had missed when they were exploring and Tyler had let him pick any room he wanted. He had been living there for a month now and he had become more comfortable around Tyler, Katherine and Caroline; even Elijah didn't make him jump when he usually had a hard time adjusting around men. Tyler had kept to his word and had not made Jeremy sign the contract until Jeremy felt comfortable to do so. The billionaire had barely touched him and they had only shared a handful of kisses; they mostly talked and Jeremy felt he was presented with a side of Tyler the billionaire only showed to his closet friends and family.

He was beginning to feel _something_ for the billionaire and, while he knew it was foolish because he knew Tyler was engaged, he wished that his engagement could somehow be called off. He could see how much Tyler didn't want to be tied to Rebekah or her father for the rest of his life and he didn't blame him; they sounded like they were only after him for his money. Tyler deserved the chance to fall in love and to be with someone who actually cared about him, Jeremy often thought. The past couple of days, he often fantasized about being the one Tyler could fall for but he knew it was impossible. Tyler was a king in the city of Nivea and a power player in the country of Atteca; there was no way a lowly peasant like him stood a chance. Tyler had said that all he could be was his Dominant and that was what Jeremy was going to take.

Jeremy buried his head into his pillow with a heavy sigh; he should have known he would start developing feeling for a taken man and it made him feel even worse that there was nothing he could do about it. All he could do was submit and let Tyler take care of him until he no longer chose too. He held a wild hope that Tyler would change his mind and he didn't abandon him like everyone else (Bonnie and her mother being the only exceptions) because if he was this time, he didn't think he would recover. Still, he knew it was only a matter of time before Tyler had to let him go.

He whimpered and buried his head under the white down comforter. He didn't know why he was worrying about this now, Tyler was to be married at the end of August and it was only February. They still had plenty of time together, he just needed to sign the contract and he felt more than ready to give Tyler the control he sought over him.

He sat up in the soft bed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, slipping his feet into the black, plush slippers Tyler had bought for him when he took Jeremy shopping. Jeremy had protested heavily; he hadn't wanted Tyler to spend money on him and he would have no way of paying him back but Tyler had taken his face between his hands gently and kissed him, telling him that as his Dominant it was his job to provide necessities for him and he didn't expect to be paid back, though Jeremy didn't think that $150 shirts were really a necessity.

He shrugged into the matching soft black robe and opened the door quietly, looking up and down the hall for any signs of Tyler, Katherine or Caroline. He exited his room quietly, drawing the robe closer to him to ward off the chill that he suddenly felt. He made his way around to the other side where Tyler's room and the playrooms were, frowning slightly when he didn't see anyone in the sitting room or the office. He made his way downstairs, stopping when he heard two angry voices in the living room, Tyler's voice and someone else's.

"…deserves more respect that what you've been giving her! I know you've been seeing other people behind her back, don't lie to me you bastard!"

"So what! Don't act like your daughter is so perfect!" Tyler snapped back. "Neither of us wants to get married—!"

"She's in love with you! Of course she wants to marry you! So if you don't want to lose your company and all your assets I suggest you get your act together!" the other voice boomed, making Jeremy jump. He flinched involuntarily and stumbled backwards back up the stairs when the voices started nearing.

"Don't ever fucking threaten me again," Tyler hissed as he came into view. He marched to the front door and threw it open, "Get the fuck out of my house!"

"We aren't finished here!" another man who looked about to be in his early fifties walked in, his blonde hair thick and his skin pale. He was wearing a fancy suit with a dark-blue shirt and black shoes and Jeremy could see a shiny gold ring on his right hand. "I know about your little dirty secrets, Lockwood; yours and Ms. Pierce's. Do you want those exposed to the press? If you don't show me or my daughter the respect we deserve, then prepare to be the talk of Atteca for plenty of years to come! No one's going to want to do business with a man who has sex slaves in his home!"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Tyler snapped. "You don't know a damn thing about me."

"I know that blonde girl that I see with your 'sister' isn't her niece. She may have people fooled with that story but she can't fool me. I know what the two of you do in this house and I think the press would be very interested to know the type of lifestyle you live behind closed doors." The older man grinned evilly.

Jeremy's heart beat rapidly as he inched upstairs slowly; something told him that he didn't want this man to see him, especially if he knew about Tyler's alternate lifestyle.

"The press is going to want proof which, you and I both know, you don't have," Tyler sneered nastily. "It doesn't matter what you know, Mikael. You're going to have to prove it and who do you think the press is really going to believe; the wildly successful son of the late Richard Lockwood or his jealous, ex-business partner who has been suspected of his death?"

Jeremy's eyes widened as he stepped back carefully to the last step and walked backwards quickly into the bathroom without being noticed by either man and breathed a heavy sigh of relief when he shut the door quietly. Tyler had told him he believed that his father was murdered, but he didn't realize that he thought it was the late Lockwood's ex-business partner. After waiting in the bathroom for a couple of minutes he heard the front door slam and someone stomping up the stairs. He opened the door carefully, immediately catching Tyler's eye and the man's cold glare was replaced by a barely-there smile.

"How long have you been awake?" he asked; Jeremy shook his head.

"Not that long…I was just using the bathroom."

"You have your own bathroom in your room," Tyler said, one eyebrow raising in amusement. Jeremy flushed in embarrassment; there was no getting passed Tyler. "Elijah has started breakfast for us, go get dressed." He walked back downstairs and Jeremy trailed off to his room.

He came down twenty minutes later after a nice, hot shower and was greeted with a buffet sized breakfast of omelets, pancakes, salad, scrambled eggs, bacon, mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni salad and sausages. Tyler had already fixed his plate and Jeremy's, along with a glass of orange juice. Jeremy took his place by Tyler and, after waiting for the okay, he began eating.

"How much of my conversation with Mikael did you hear?" Tyler asked casually. Jeremy choked on a potato and grabbed his glass of orange juice.

"Wh—What?" he sputtered, not knowing what else to say. He'd be stupid to deny he was there.

"I know you were on the stairs listening," Tyler looked at him in a sideways glance. "So how much?"

"Just…just the end." Jeremy made sure to keep his eyes down. "Are you angry with me?"

"Of course not, I'm just happy Mikael didn't see you. That would have been difficult to explain," Tyler chuckled and Jeremy gave a small smile. "But whenever I have guests over that aren't the Salvatores or nurse Pearl, I want you to stay upstairs unless I tell you it's alright. It's for your protection," Tyler glanced at him, wanting to make sure Jeremy understood it wasn't because he was embarrassed of him. To his relief the insecure boy nodded.

"I understand," he murmured, then swallowed his bite of egg. "I wanted to talk to you…about signing the contract."

"I'll draw one up after breakfast and we can go over it; I'll answer any questions you have." He couldn't suppress the glee he felt; Jeremy was officially going to be his.

Jeremy nodded and went back to eating, surprisingly feeling a bit excited about signing his life to someone else. It was quiet before Tyler spoke again.

"Until I find the thugs who beat you, I need for you to stay on the Lockwood property," Tyler said quietly as he set down his silverware. Jeremy looked up in surprise.

"But…but they're nowhere near here—"

"You don't know that. For all we know, they could be out looking for you to finish the job. You are to stay here and not to go anywhere near that area, understand?"

Jeremy stared at him for a moment before nodding slowly, "Yes."

"Good boy," Tyler smirked as he took a sip of juice.

* * *

Jeremy's eyes widened as he looked at the nine page document in his hands; who knew there was so much that needed to be discussed when it came to giving away your free will?

"Do you have any questions, Jeremy?" Tyler asked softly; he could tell the contract overwhelmed the boy since he had never encountered anything like this before. His heart went out to him.

"I…I'm not—" Jeremy swallowed and tried again, his heart thumping. "What if I can't do this? I'm…what if I don't get something right or what if you get frustrated with me or—"

"Jeremy," Tyler interrupted firmly, kneeling in front of him. "I'm going to train you to act how I want you to. If I get frustrated with you—which won't happen often, believe me—I will discipline you, then I teach you to learn from those mistakes. I'm not going to tie you up and throw you in a locked room if you don't do something right. That's not how this works."

He felt a bit better after hearing that. "How will you punish me?" Jeremy whispered, fear seeping into his voice. "Will it hurt?"

"Not punish, discipline; there is a difference and it's nothing like what you're imagining," Tyler soothed. "I'm not going to hurt you, Jeremy. You aren't my slave; you are my submissive. The only way I will really discipline you is spanking, everything else for you will be considered a hard limit for now. When you get more comfortable with this we can discuss other methods."

Jeremy nodded and took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying not to panic. What the hell was he thinking? There was no way he could do this; this was far beyond anything he could have imagined and he didn't know how to handle what he was getting into.

"But—but here it says you'll have permission to gag me and whip me and I don't know what 'blood play' means but that doesn't sound pleasant—"

"Jere," Tyler whispered placing a careful hand on his cheek, heart constricting painfully at his flinch. "Don't think about this so much; if you don't want to be gagged, that's fine, I will make that a hard limit for you. I don't like blood play, I have never done that with my subs. That is a hard limit for me, along with anything having to do with bodily waste. Frankly, I find that all unsanitary." His hand went to his neck, massaging gently.

"I'm not doing this to hurt or scare you; I just want you to allow me to show you pleasure in ways you have never imagined, to explore your limits. I'm going to take care of you and nothing is going to happen to you. You never have to do anything you don't want to."

"I know," he whispered, feeling tears in his eyes but he held them back. "I keep telling myself that but I just…I don't want to get hurt again."

"You won't" Tyler murmured. "Nothing is going to happen to you. Your safety is my number one job as your Dominant. I would never put you in a position where you could get hurt; I would _never_ do that to you. If I hurt you in any way you can terminate the contract, I will buy you a new apartment and we can go our separate ways, alright?"

"You'd…you'd do that for me?" he asked in quiet shock.

"Of course, it's only fair I find you an apartment since I gave back your other one with all your furniture," Tyler chuckled and Jeremy gave him a slight smile. "Don't worry about anything Jeremy, that's my job now. All you have to do is trust me."

Jeremy sniffed and willed the rest of his tears away. "I'll try."

"That's all I want," Tyler said. "Are there any other fears you have I should know about?"

"I'm claustrophobic," Jeremy muttered softly. "I'd prefer not to be put in a body bag of any type.

"Of course. I only use that in extreme scenes," he stood, stretching slightly. "I'll add those into the hard limits later." He took the contract and flipped to the back page for Jeremy's signature.

"Sign when you're ready, I'll be in the sitting room." He ran his fingers through Jeremy's hair before leaving the room. Jeremy sighed and put his face in his hands; this was a lot for him to take in but he knew he wouldn't leave without signing. As scared as he was, he wanted this and he wanted Tyler. The billionaire had assured him over and over that no harm would come to him, that this was for his benefit as well as his pleasure.

Jeremy picked up the contract again and reread the list of hard limits:

-Blood play

-Marks of any kind

-Play with urine or feces

-Play with guns or sharp objects

-Cutting

-Breathing constriction

-Use of drugs or alcohol (with exception to marijuana use on occasion for the sub **ONLY)**

Jeremy sighed again; he read through the paper again before setting it down and taking deep breaths, willing the slight tremor that started in his hand to stop before he grabbed the pen.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

"I am very surprised you waited this long for him to sign," Katherine said as she sipped her glass of wine and popped another shrimp in her mouth. "He means a great deal to you."

"He needed a chance to get comfortable around me," Tyler explained. "He's been through a lot, more than I realized."

"Poor boy," Katherine murmured. "He is just like Caroline."

Tyler nodded. "I don't blame him for being afraid of people from what he's told me. I'm sure I haven't heard the worst of it."

"Then make sure he knows he is safe. Make sure he understands that you are not here to hurt him but to help him. Perhaps we should have him see a therapist."

A noise on the steps of the living room interrupted their conversation; Jeremy was standing with his head down, wringing his hands together.

"I signed the contract," he whispered, but they both heard it. "I'm all yours."

Tyler stared at him and licked his lips unconsciously. He stood and walked to Jeremy, lifting his chin to look into his eyes.

"Go to the playroom, take off your shoes and kneel by the bed, head down, palms up," he demanded softly. Jeremy nodded and walked, slowly, back up the stairs. Tyler turned to Katherine and a slow smirk spread across his face, one she returned.

"Be careful," she warned softly; Tyler knew she wasn't referring to him.

"I will. I'm going to do this as delicately as possible."

* * *

Jeremy walked up the stairs slowly, trying not to think about what he just did; the more he thought about his decision the more he felt sick about it when he knew he had nothing to worry about. Instead of dwelling on it and running to his room to hide under the blankets he went into the playroom and removed his shoes. He gulped before getting to his knees and placing his slightly sweaty palms up on his thighs. He gnawed at his lip as he waited for Tyler to come in, wondering what the hell was in store for him.

He didn't know how long he was kneeling until a door opened and shut; he didn't raise his head, though that was his first instinct as Tyler's black leather shoes came into his vision.

"Look at me," he said softly. Jeremy raised his head; sure that fear was evident in his eyes. Tyler ran his fingers through his hair and it brought him comfort.

"From now on, you will refer to me as 'sir' or 'master.' If I ask you a question, you will answer with 'sir' or 'master'. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," Jeremy mumbled. Tyler barely suppressed his grin.

"Good boy. Now stand up and get on the bed. Lie on your back." Jeremy took a deep breath before he stood and did as he was told. His heart was beating erratically and he mentally prepared himself for what was coming.

"Stay still," Tyler whispered as he straddled Jeremy, noticing how the boy was fighting not to flinch or shove him off. He dipped his head into Jeremy's neck and breathed in his scent, noticing his slight tremors. He pressed a light kiss to his neck and Jeremy let out a small whimper. He lifted his head and pressed their lips together, Jeremy's gasp allowing his tongue to invade his mouth. His hands slipped down Jeremy's sides and underneath his shirt, raising it slightly; Jeremy let out a distressed noise and pulled back, gripping Tyler's shoulders tightly.

"What's wrong?" Tyler murmured; he was already excited just from kissing him.

"I—I don't want you to see me," Jeremy whispered. "I'm not…it's not a pretty sight, believe me."

"I'll be the judge of that. You signed a contract, remember? You belong to me now and I can make decisions for you."

"You said—you said you wouldn't make me do anything I wasn't ready for!" Jeremy said frantically as he tried to move from under Tyler but the stronger man pinned him down.

"I said I wouldn't make you do anything _I_ felt you weren't ready for," Tyler murmured never removing his hand from under his shirt. "You have to trust me Jeremy or this won't work."

Jeremy's eyes blinked rapidly to keep his frightened tears at bay. "Tyler," his breath hitched. "Tyler please don't—"

"Master," Tyler corrected. "Trust me, pet. I'm not going to hurt you," he whispered in his ear as both hands started feeling Jeremy's soft skin. He took his time, his hands feeling the skin slowly and carefully so Jeremy could get used to someone touching his stomach. He was determined to break Jeremy of his fear; he was going to make sure he could feel safe while being touched. He felt Jeremy's breath hitch against his neck and his heart pounding against his chest as his hands traveled north, taking the shirt with him. In one swift movement he sat up and brought Jeremy up as well lifting the shirt over him and removing it, throwing it somewhere on the floor. Jeremy tried to cover himself but Tyler was faster, pinning both of Jeremy's wrist above his head with one hand. Jeremy whimpered and squirmed to get free as Tyler ran a hand down his chest, making him shiver. The soft candlelight in the room illuminated what Jeremy didn't want Tyler to see: years and years of bruises, healed cuts, scars and burns littered the boy's fair skin, including his most recent ones from his attack. Tyler felt rage like no other envelop him; why would anyone hurt this sweet, innocent boy?

"Who did this to you?" Tyler whispered, barely keeping the rage out of his voice as he traced a particularly long and painful looking dark scar that ran across his flat stomach. "Who hurt you like this?"

Jeremy squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head as if to rid himself of the memories.

"Jeremy, tell me," Tyler demanded as he grabbed the boy's chin gently and held him still to look at him.

"My adoptive families…my brothers…the boys at the orphanage," he whispered in shame, tears trailing from his eyes. "I—I'm sorry—"

"Stop apologizing, there is no need for you to be sorry for something you didn't do," Tyler bit out. He softened his tone when Jeremy visibly flinched under him. "This is not your fault Jeremy. I'm not mad at you."

"Okay," he whispered, his breathing quick and harsh as he tried hard to keep his cries inside. Tyler bent slowly and kissed his neck gently, leaving hot, open-mouthed kisses all along the pale pillar before traveling south and kissing every single abrasion he saw. By the time he had gotten to Jeremy's stomach his breathing was more relaxed and calm and his tears were gone and replaced with desire. Tyler pressed his lips to Jeremy's again, their kiss passionate and wanting, tongues dueling for dominance. His fingers found Jeremy's nipples and he took both between them, rubbing and teasing Jeremy as he moaned and dug his head into the pillow. He lowered his mouth to them and Jeremy lifted his chest to the sky in wanting, needing more of these feelings Tyler was giving him. He kissed back up Jeremy's body and re-connected their lips; he could feel Jeremy's erection hardening against his leg and he smirked. The billionaire reached for the leather cuffs on either side of the bed cuffing Jeremy's wrists comfortably; the boy was in such a daze of pleasure he hadn't even realized what had happened until it was done.

"What—what are you doing?" he asked breathlessly as he tugged at the chains. Tyler swooped down with another deep kiss and trailed down his body again with his lips stopping at his pants and popping the top button. Jeremy whimpered and he unconsciously tugged at the cuffs. His heart was beating forty miles a minute and he thought he would pass out. "Tyler—"

"Master," Tyler corrected softly, his voice low and soothing. "It's alright Jeremy, you're safe. You can trust me, that's what this is all about."

"I—I don't think—please, I can't do this!" he let out a little sob. As much as he wanted to give into Tyler, as much as he wanted him, his mind kept telling him he was going to get hurt.

"Jeremy," Tyler whispered, his hand running over the pale stomach in slow, calming circles. "You have to trust me; it's the only way you will be able to overcome this fear. I'm your master, I won't hurt you." He reached into the nightstand and pulled out a silk scarf.

Jeremy turned his head into the pillow to hide his face and the tears that started falling. He clutched tightly at what little chain he could reach whimpering when Tyler's hand traveled up his chest to his neck and started carding through his hair. A tender kiss was placed on his forehead, then on his neck and Jeremy shivered as he anticipated where the lips would go next. As Tyler kissed him gently he folded the scarf in half and tied it securely around Jeremy's eyes.

"Trust me Jeremy." Tyler's voice was deep and hypnotizing as he tied the scarf in a double knot. Jeremy felt more of his fear melt away and the tears slowly subside as the soft touches and kisses continued.

"Now I'm going to take off your pants and tie your feet."

"B-But—!"

"Trust, Jeremy. This is about trust, remember? This is part of your training—you have to learn to trust me, that I won't hurt you."

Jeremy suppressed the urge to scream as his jeans and boxers disappeared, leaving him completely exposed for the first time. "Ty—Master?"

"Yes?"

"I—I'm scared," he said in a small voice.

Tyler smiled and ran his fingers through Jeremy's hair. "I know, pet. You have nothing to be scared of. I will take care of you."

He nodded though he didn't know if Tyler could see. He just realized he was blindfolded but it didn't make his panic rise; the silk over his eyes shifted slightly as he moved his head to try and peer through the darkness at what Tyler was doing. He had bound his feet so he was completely tied down. He tugged at the restraints on his feet as if assuring himself that this was really happening to him; air was blown on his stomach, a hand lightly caressed his side and he shivered.

"M-Master?" he stuttered out uncertainly.

"I have to see you," he responded and the light of a lamp was suddenly showing through the cloth. He heard a sharp intake of breath and he involuntarily flinched.

"You are flawless," Tyler whispered in awe. He ran his hand from his chest to his stomach again and Jeremy couldn't stop the shiver. "Gorgeous. Whoever can't appreciate beauty such as this has no taste." He bent to take an erect nipple into his mouth, reveling in Jeremy's moan; he intended to cherish and worship Jeremy's body fully tonight. He was going to bring a whole new meaning of pleasure to the man that would no doubt change him; he was going to erase the memories of the hands that brought him pain and he was going to make him feel like he never felt before. His hand traveled down to Jeremy's growing erection and he smiled at the sharp intake of breath from his submissive.

"Relax," Tyler commanded gently as he took him in his hand and started stroking him slowly but firmly. Jeremy let out another whine; Tyler was finding all of Jeremy's noises to be a turn on. He knew he was given a special gift as he watched Jeremy respond to his touch.

The pale boy bucked his hips with a loud moan when Tyler's thumb rubbed over his head, straining against the bonds.

"Tell me what you want, pet." Tyler goaded softly. "Say it."

"I—I—oh!—please—!"

"Tell me Jeremy," Tyler said lowly, seductively. "What do you want me to do?"

"Faster!" he begged. "Oh please!"

"Faster…what?" he slowed his hand considerably and Jeremy whined in frustration. "Who am I Jeremy?"

"Master! Please touch me Master!" Jeremy cried and Tyler couldn't deny him anymore even if he wanted to.

"As you wish, pet," he murmured seductively as he pumped faster, watching Jeremy fall apart on his bed. Jeremy bucked up again and cried out as he tipped over the edge spilling all over Tyler's hand, their stomachs and the purple silk sheets. Tyler gave a small smile as he kept moving his hand, stopping when Jeremy was spent. The boy panted harshly, quivering from the aftershocks of his first orgasm; Tyler thought he looked stunning.

"How was that pet?" he asked quietly, running his clean hand over the pale chest, watching the boy shudder.

"It was…really good, Master," he mumbled. His master smiled and kissed his cheek. "I'm glad."

He bent down and gave him a gentle kiss, pulling back and grabbing the cloth he had set on the nightstand to wipe his hand clean. When he set it down again he took off his pants, leaving his boxers on, and threw the garments before turning off the lamp and straddling Jeremy once more. He trailed hot kisses over every patch of skin enjoying Jeremy shivering and moaning under his lips. Soon he was hard again and Tyler smirked when he reached his well-endowed erection, this time covering it with his lips.

Jeremy let out a cry of surprise and bucked slightly into Tyler's mouth his toes curling and his hands clenching into fists. The mouth slid up and down his erection and he couldn't believe that he'd been missing out on this for nineteen years because it felt _amazing_. Tyler's tongue rubbed against the underside of his head and Jeremy let out a shrill noise of wanton ecstasy; he brought a hand to cup his balls and the boy let out another choked cry.

"You taste divine, like I thought you would," Tyler whispered before swallowing Jeremy once more holding his hips down as he writhed under the skilled mouth. He brought his tongue to swirl over the head and moaned when Jeremy exploded in his mouth, taking all of his release into his mouth. When Jeremy was spent once more Tyler let up, licking and kissing the insides of his pale thighs before sliding back up and kissing Jeremy full on the lips. He straddled Jeremy once more watching as the boy caught his breath.

"Are you alright?" he whispered silkily running his hands up and down his sides.

"Yes, Master," he whispered breathlessly.

"That's good, because we're not finished yet," he murmured as he dipped his head and pressed his lips to Jeremy's once more.

* * *

Mikael frowned as he looked at the bank statements for his company on his computer; he was losing more money this quarter and that was never any good. He scowled as he scrolled through the number of sales compared to last month and he pushed back from the chair in frustration; it was a good thing he had his other business to make some real money, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to afford the luxurious lifestyle he provided for his children.

There was a knock on the door before it opened slowly, "Are you busy?"

"No, come in Elijah," he muttered; Elijah closed the door softly and took a seat in front of his father's desk.

"I have what you asked for."

"Very good, let me see," he muttered as Elijah handed him the manila folder. He opened the folder and looked through it, occasionally nodding and grunting before setting it aside. "Do they suspect anything?"

"No, I have their complete trust. They even allow their…charges to be left alone with me."

"Excellent," Mikael muttered. "If Lockwood thinks he can get away with his shit he's pulled, we're going to have to play dirty and with this," he took out an item from the folder and smirked slightly, "I'll have him by the balls. Well done Elijah," he congratulated his son as he set the contract with Jeremy's and Tyler's signatures on the table between them.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

Tyler smiled as he caressed Jeremy's damp hair; after he made Jeremy come twice more the boy had promptly passed out still cuffed to the bed. He knew he would be tired after their first session; the first few were always emotionally draining for the submissive, more so for Jeremy given his past and his issues. He thought it only fair to start his training by giving Jeremy pleasure since he never had the experience; seeing the expressions of pure ecstasy cross his face as Tyler repeatedly brought him over the edge was one of the most erotic things he had ever seen. Training Jeremy was going to take time, he mused, but he couldn't find anything bad about that as long as they were both receiving pleasure.

Jeremy moaned lightly and snuggled deeper into his side; normally Tyler would stay only a while after sessions to assess his sub and discuss what was done before returning to his own room but he didn't feel right leaving Jeremy to wake alone; the boy just had his first sexual experience and Tyler needed to know he would be alright. Jeremy whimpered in distress and Tyler held him closer, shushing him gently.

"It's alright," Tyler murmured. "You're safe. No one can hurt you."

Jeremy's eyes opened blearily and he let out another whimper, "Master?"

"Go back to sleep, you're safe." He kissed his forehead, continuing to hold and soothe Jeremy until he fell back asleep for the rest of the night until he fell asleep as well.

* * *

**Please let me know what you think! Thanks for reading! See you next chapter :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you for the lovely reviews! I hope you all enjoy this chapter; there is slash AND femslash (finally!) and spanking and other kinky goodness ;) I can't believe I wrote this honestly, I had no idea my mind could think of this craziness 0_0. Please review and let me know what you think! Thank you!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

* * *

"Oh God—people actually do that?" Jeremy gasped as he and Caroline read the definition of 'asphyxiation' on a BDSM website. "That sounds horrible! How could that feel good?"

"I don't know. Mistress and Master Tyler don't really like the scenes where breathing is limited; neither does Master Damon or Master Stefan. They think its borderline torture, like blood play."

"But other people are okay with that? With not being able to breathe?" Jeremy asked in horror. "Why would people do that to themselves?"

"That's more S&M—or sadism and masochism. Those are the people who like pain," Caroline shuddered. She was grateful her mistress wasn't a sadist; she didn't think she would survive. "They get off on that sort of thing."

Jeremy shivered as he read more terms; he was glad Tyler had appointed Caroline to mentor him so she could tell him exactly what BDSM was all about and he wouldn't be going into this completely blind. Compared to what he'd been finding online, Tyler was an angel; some of these people were real weirdoes.

"I didn't actually think people peed on their subs," Jeremy said in disgust as he wrinkled his nose. "Why in the world would you let someone use you for a toilet? How could you find pleasure in something like that?"

"I don't know; there was once a man who wanted to play with Mistress and me at a play party who was into that," Caroline grimaced. Jeremy stared at her in horror.

"She said no right?"

"Of course! She called the man a fool for even asking if he could defecate on me. He said he wanted to spread his feces all over my body, that disgusting pig," Caroline's expression resembled that of someone who had just eaten a sour lemon. "We were lucky Master Tyler was there, that man wouldn't stop following us all night."

"That's…I don't even know what to say to that," Jeremy said in quiet horror; he could imagine the look on Tyler's face if anyone ever said that to _him._ Tyler had told him he and Katherine were well known in the BDSM community for not sharing their subs with others for _any_ reason, Damon being Katherine's only exception.

"So how does the press not know about these…gatherings for Dominants and submissives?" Jeremy asked. "Don't they follow Ty—Master and Mistress every time they leave the house?"

"Oh we don't drive to those events, we fly," Caroline said grinning and Jeremy's gaping expression. "That's the only time we get to use the helicopter. And because that's one of the only places in Nivea with a landing pad that's big enough to use."

"Of course, he has a helicopter," Jeremy said faintly. He didn't know why this surprised him; Tyler had five luxury cars, a motorcycle and a yacht; why not have a helicopter too? Caroline laughed.

"Don't look so frightened! It's not as scary as it sounds; believe me when I say that. The first time I rode in it I cried like a baby—I'm afraid of heights—but Master and Mistress reassured me over and over that we wouldn't crash. Mistress had to hold my hands the whole time so I wouldn't tear out my hair and Master Tyler even blindfolded me so I wouldn't look out the window and that helped a lot. Thirty minutes later we were landing and I was fine."

"How often do these…gatherings happen? Do you go to all of them?"

"Once a month; they are designed for members of the BDSM community to come together and talk, find new subs or Doms, to share their subs with other Doms, to create new scenes or just to hang out with people who share their interests. They are a lot of fun; the subs I meet are pretty nice people," Caroline said as she typed in another term. "Has Master Tyler told you about the collaring ceremony?"

"He mentioned it briefly but he didn't go into it," Jeremy said. "Is that something I have to do?"

"Katherine wants to have one for me but she says it would be too risky for the press to find out, so she gave me a necklace," she murmured softly as she showed Jeremy the silver pendant resting on her chest. "This is her way of saying I'm hers and only hers for as long as we both want. Master Tyler will probably have one made for you."

"Does he usually get them made for his subs?" Jeremy asked, trying to keep the jealously out of his voice.

"Yes. It's customary, though he doesn't make them fancy like mine. They're usually woven bands." She grinned at him, "I have a feeling yours is going to be special. Master Tyler has really taken a liking to you."

Jeremy blushed and looked away. "No, I don't think so," he muttered; he couldn't let his hopes get up about Tyler wanting him as more than a sub. He made it quite clear he couldn't be anything more than his Dominant. This, of course, didn't stop Jeremy from developing feelings for the man. He scoffed at himself; could he be any more pathetic?

"We'll see," Caroline said with a smirk; she prided herself on being able to gauge people's emotions and feelings and she was more than positive that Master Tyler liked Jeremy way more than any other submissive he ever had. She brought it up to her Mistress when they went to lunch the other day and she agreed wholeheartedly. "Master Tyler told Mistress and I that you had your first session. How did it go?"

"It was…an experience," Jeremy said as he recalled the night. "I never felt…so much before. I felt like my emotions were everywhere!" he admitted with a laugh; he was glad that Tyler told him this was normal for new submissives. "I was really tired afterwards, the whole thing was exhausting."

"They usually are; that's why there is a training period. If the subs were expected to just act the way Dominants wanted them too then the relationship would fail. Subs need to be able to sort out their feelings about how scenes play out and their Dominants need to be able to comfort them and give them the support they need. Some subs don't ever get used to it."

"What was your first experience like…if you don't mind me asking," Jeremy added quickly, thinking it might be rude to ask something so intimate. Caroline shook her head with a smile.

"Not at all! It's my job as your mentor to share these things with you Jere so don't feel embarrassed about asking!" she put her hand on his arm, smiling inwardly when he didn't flinch away; she was aware of Jeremy's fears and she was happy he was slowly getting over them. "When Mistress first cuffed me I cried and I begged her to stop. She didn't untie me but she did stop and she explained to me what was going to happen and why; it got better after that. I…I was in a bad way when she found me," she admitted softly. Jeremy looked at her in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"My father was an alcoholic and he beat me and my mother. He wound up putting her in the hospital and I ran away before I ended up the same. One of my friends let me live with her but her home life wasn't much better—her parents were always away so she would always have guys over, always be drinking and because I was with her all the time, I wound up becoming an alcoholic myself. I became this wild, promiscuous party girl and I hopped from guy to guy, having a new boyfriend every month, sometimes two. I was held back my junior year and when I graduated I didn't have the grades or the money to get to college so I got a job at Lucky Burger, living where anyone would let me stay. All my boyfriends from then on were guys I met from girls who worked there or customers and they were all like my father: abusive, mean and not giving a damn about me," she sighed and ran a hand through her blonde hair.

"One of my boyfriends got me addicted to ecstasy and soon I was out of a job and working at a drug store where I knew the hiring manager. They fired me when I got caught popping pills and I got a job as a waitress in a rundown diner in District Five. Another boyfriend of mine got me addicted to meth and then I was out of that job and pretty soon I was working as a stripper at a seedy club in the same district on the corner of Turner and Garden—you've probably passed by it. The day Katherine walked into the club was probably the best day of my life," she said fondly. "At first I resisted her, thinking she was going to be like everyone else and take advantage of me but she put me in rehab and got me clean; I'll never be able to thank her enough. She came to see me every day, even staying when I was cursing her and telling her to go to hell, even when I was sick and throwing up and thinking I was going to die. After I'd been there ninety days and they said I was good to go she said I could live with her and that she would take care of me from then on. I didn't know what she meant by that but then she took me to a play party and introduced me to her world of BDSM. I knew that that was what I needed the moment I walked into the party. She showed me a contract and asked if I was interested and after we discussed everything, I signed it. I've never felt so free in my whole life, letting someone else make decisions for me. I obviously wasn't good at making decisions for myself but Katherine has never let anything bad happen to me and she's never let me relapse; she only started letting me smoke weed occasionally because she knows it's harmless and she controls my intake. She saved my life; I owe her everything," Caroline finished softly. Jeremy smiled at the complete look of love on her glowing face.

"You love her," he murmured. She nodded.

"She was the only person who gave a damn about me. Of course now I have Master Tyler and Masters Damon and Stefan but Katherine was the only one who saw through all my fronts and put up with my bullshit just to help me." She laughed. "I never would have thought that the love of my life would have been a woman but Katherine and I…we connect so well it's almost insane. She understands what I've gone through because she went through it herself. I know she has my best interests at heart and I know she'd never hurt me."

Jeremy laughed too despite the longing he felt to find someone like that one day. He may have been afraid of people touching him but he didn't want to end up alone forever either, though he had resigned himself to that life. Of course he wasn't alone now that he had a Dominant and a mentor that were starting to feel like his family and his best friend who had been there for him for so long. Thinking of Bonnie made him feel guilty for evading her once again, though this time he had a good reason.

"Hey Caroline? I was wondering if you could do me a favor," Jeremy asked uncertainly as he thought about Bonnie. Caroline nodded, "Sure, what is it?"

"Well…Master doesn't want me to leave the house until he finds the people who beat me," Jeremy started, lowering his voice as if there were hidden cameras in the room. "But my best friend has been asking for days to see me and I can't keep thinking of excuses without telling her the whole story so I was wondering if you could cover for me…but I don't want to put you in an awkward position and I don't want you to get in trouble or anything—"

"Jere, it's alright," Caroline laughed. "I understand, really. I know how hard it is to try and explain to people why you can't just leave whenever you want, I've been there. I'll cover for you as best I can but I can't lie to them."

"Thank you," he breathed. She nodded and clicked on the page of terms beginning with the letter B.

* * *

Jeremy bit his lip nervously as he looked over his shoulder the tenth time while walking to the bus stop; he knew he was going against Tyler's orders but he had no choice. Bonnie had _begged_ to see him, only having talked to him a handful of times since he'd been living with Tyler and not seeing her since that day he was attacked. She was his best friend; how could he deny his best friend wanting to see him to make sure he was okay?

The bus drove into District Two and sped along to District Three for a couple of stops; he was lucky there was a transportation system that hit all five districts in Nivea. He would be out of luck if he had to depend on a car.

When the bus pulled to a stop around the corner from The Pier he hopped off and, after checking behind him again, walked down the street to where he used to work.

He pushed open the door of the restaurant and looked around; it looked the exact same as before he left; he felt awkward being a patron when he was so used to being a busboy. He looked around and spotted the brown-haired girl waving frantically at him. "Jeremy! Over here, Jere!"

He grinned as he got closer and laughed when she got up and launched herself into his arms. "I haven't seen you in _forever!_ Where the hell have you been?"

"It's a long story," he chuckled as he sat across from her. "How is everything with you?"

"Well I haven't been fired so things are pretty good!" she laughed and Jeremy chuckled feeling slightly uneasy. He still hadn't told Bonnie about his and Tyler's agreement and he didn't think he ever could unless he broke confidentiality. "But I've already told you about me, what about you? Are you still living at _ze_ _grande_ _mansion_?"

"Yeah, he wants me to stay there until he finds the guys that jumped me," Jeremy said quietly. "It's taking a while, I guess."

"How sweet of him! So has he shown you any more of his kinky sex toys?" Bonnie asked suggestively. "You must have seen the weirdest things at that house—does he have anymore slaves?"

"No…not really," Jeremy replied, mentally going through the story he made up the past couple of days. "And he doesn't have slaves. That blonde girl we found, her name's Sarah and she's an old friend of Katherine's."

"So why was she sleeping in his torture chamber? Are they like a…thing?"

"I'm not sure," Jeremy lied. "They're very private in that house. I've been staying there almost two months and I still don't understand them."

"Weird…I still want to go back and check it out," she hummed as she bit into her burger. "So does he bring people over to tie up and have his wicked way with? The whole thing just seems so kinky!"

_You have no idea_ Jeremy thought, forcing his mind to focus on Bonnie. "Yeah…I've only seen him bring around one or two girls but they don't use those rooms…I don't think they do anyway."

"Interesting," Bonnie's eyes met his and they shared a smile. "He doesn't seem like such a bad guy. I mean he could have had me fired when he busted us but he hasn't and he's going through all this trouble to catch those goons. Seems like he has a soft spot for you, Jere."

"Yeah, I guess so," he murmured and muttered a thank you as a waitress brought him a water. "He's a good person."

Bonnie smiled mischievously, "Sounds like someone has a little crush."

"Do not!" Jeremy sputtered, face flushing. "Why do you say that?"

"You've been so bright and happy since we started talking about him. Admit it; you have a big, fat crush on Tyler Lockwood!"

"I don't," Jeremy laughed, though his heart was beating faster. "I really, really don't Bonnie. We're just friends, nothing more."

"Whatever you say Jeremy. But I know you, and you have a crush, I can just tell," Bonnie said matter-of-factly as she sipped on her lemonade. Jeremy laughed again and changed the subject to Bonnie's mother.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

When Jeremy made it back to the Lockwood Mansion he had an uneasy feeling that Tyler knew he wasn't there. He shoved down as much of the fear and held his breath as he could as he went around to the back of the house. He let out a breath when he didn't see anyone outside and he quickly walked to the sliding glass doors, pushing it open. He smiled when he was inside; he was lucky this time.

"Jeremy," a smooth voice said from the couch. Jeremy jumped and cursed inwardly, closing his eyes and opening them again as he turned to face Tyler. "Where have you been?"

"I…I just…" damn, he couldn't even think of a lie. "I went to visit Bonnie."

"Really? And where did you and Bonnie meet?" Tyler was facing him now, his face impassive and making Jeremy nervous.

"At The Pier," he whispered, no longer able to meet Tyler's eyes. Tyler hummed.

"What did I tell you about leaving the house, Jeremy?"

"You told me not to," he mumbled, feeling like a disobedient child. He felt ashamed for disappointing Tyler already, like he knew he would.

The silence seemed to stretch on before Tyler spoke again.

"You disobeyed me, Jeremy. I can't just let this slip by; I'm going to have to discipline you. I was very worried about you; it's a good thing you let Caroline know where you were going before I called my friends at the police station to tell them you were missing. That wouldn't have been good at all."

Jeremy felt shame wash over him in buckets; he should have never let Bonnie talk him into leaving the house. He never could say no to his best friend.

"Go upstairs and kneel by the bed with your knees together and your head down," Tyler spoke softly, dangerously. "You've been bad and you need to be…chastened."

"Y-Yes sir," Jeremy stuttered before walking up the stairs. When he entered the playroom he left his shoes by the door before dropping to his knees by the right side of the bed, his heart pounding as he thought about what his punishment would be. After what seemed like eternity the door opened and Tyler walked in, closing and locking it. He kept his eyes on Jeremy as he sat on the edge of the bed near Jeremy. "Look at me."

Jeremy raised his head, sure that the fear was evident in his eyes; he felt a strange sense of déjà vu from his first session. Tyler's face remained impassive.

"Stand up, remove your pants and boxers," Tyler said softly.

"Yes…sir," Jeremy whispered shakily as he popped open the button of his jeans; he hadn't thought Tyler would take this so seriously but he was quickly discovering how serious Tyler was about following orders. His hands shook as he slowly shoved his pants and boxers to his knees and all the way off. Tyler watched him calmly as Jeremy's lower half became exposed to him.

"Come here; lay across my lap," he murmured as he patted his knee. Jeremy gulped and made his way to Tyler slowly. He paused for a moment before lying across him making sure his behind was in the way of Tyler's hands.

Tyler licked his lips at the sight of Jeremy laid out for him, pale smooth skin teasing him and he couldn't resist grabbing his bottom and kneading, closing his eyes at the moan Jeremy let out; this was one of his favorite things to do as a Dominant.

"You will learn to do as I tell you," Tyler muttered as he continued his ministrations. "I think six spanks will do, three for each cheek. Do you think that is appropriate, pet?"

"Yes sir," Jeremy whispered; he couldn't deny he was becoming aroused as his erection started growing against Tyler's leg, making him flush hotly.

"I want you to count them out loud," Tyler continued in his low, silky voice. "If you don't, I will start over, understood?"

Jeremy nodded, "Yes sir."

Tyler licked his lips again and he kept his eyes closed to control himself; Jeremy sounded so sexy when he submitted.

"Let's begin." That was Jeremy's only warning before his hand came down hard on his bottom with a loud _smack!_ Jeremy jumped and gave a small cry of surprise.

"Jeremy," Tyler reminded and the flushed boy quickly squeaked, "One!"

Tyler smirked as his hand came down again on the opposite cheek; Jeremy cried out a, "Two!" His erection, despite the abuse his bottom was receiving, was alert and digging into Tyler's leg, making Tyler grin even more. He brought his hand down four more times, Jeremy counting each one.

"Good boy," Tyler purred as he grabbed the cream he sat on the nightstand earlier. "You deserve a reward. Take off your shirt and lie on the bed so I can rub this in."

Jeremy nodded and scrambled out of his shirt and onto the bed face down; surprisingly, he didn't feel like he was going to freak out from Tyler hitting him. A cool substance being pressed into his skin by strong hands tore a moan from him and he gripped the comforter under him for something to hang onto.

"Did you like that?" Tyler murmured as he put more cream onto Jeremy's red skin and took the cheeks into his hands, kneading gently. "Do you like when I touch you like this?"

"Mmm," Jeremy groaned, drowning in pleasure as Tyler massaged him while he rutted against the bed. Tyler pulled one hand away from Jeremy's behind and pulled out a bottle of oil. He poured some into his hands and slicked one finger up before circling Jeremy's entrance. Jeremy's head shot up in surprise and Tyler's movements stopped immediately.

"Relax, pet," he murmured soothingly as he went back to circling the puckered hole slowly. "I need you to relax."

Jeremy turned his head and held his gaze for a moment before he turned back and lay his head back down. Tyler licked his lips as he slipped the slick digit inside his submissive imagining that tight heat around his cock causing it to twitch. He thrust it in and out a couple of times, listening to Jeremy moan before re-angling and crooking it. Jeremy let out a sharp cry, his hips rising off the bed and Tyler knew he found his prostate. He slicked another finger with the oil and thrust it in, making sure to hit the same spot; Jeremy was panting heavily clenching the comforter between his hands tightly and Tyler wanted to see the expression on his younger submissive's face.

"Turn over," he ordered huskily; Jeremy complied without fuss, his back arching as Tyler tapped on the bundle of nerves. He slipped his fingers out quickly and cuffed Jeremy's wrists, Jeremy too far gone to realize what was happening. Tyler poured more oil over his three fingers and thrust them back into Jeremy. He cried out in pure ecstasy arching his back and grabbing onto what little chain he could reach. His eyes squeezed shut, cheeks flushed, hair damp and sticking to his forehead. Tyler's smirk turned into a small smile as he admired Jeremy's beauty. He moved his fingers faster now and Jeremy threw his head back with a wanton cry; Tyler could tell he was close to orgasm.

"Oh—oh God!" Jeremy whimpered as Tyler hit _that_ spot again and again; he felt the heat pooling in his stomach, his toes curling into the blankets and all sense leave him as pleasure he never experienced before crashed over him. He was barely aware he was nearly screaming out loud or that he was coming all over himself and the bed, his back continuing to arch until he was finally spent. He collapsed on the bed gulping in air, his eyes bright and dazed as he came down from his orgasm. When he finally regained his vision, he focused on Tyler's smirking face.

"There's a good boy," he said smugly; he dipped his finger in some of Jeremy's come that landed on his stomach and sucked it while watching him.

"Delicious," he murmured, his smile one of a predator who just caught his prey. He crawled over Jeremy's body and pressed their lips together, letting Jeremy taste himself. The billionaire pulled back and sat back in his spot, his eyes never leaving Jeremy's body. "I think I like you just like this. What do you think pet? Do you like being tied up like this?"

Jeremy nodded slowly, still taking deep breaths to slow his breathing. "Yes, sir."

"I thought you might," Tyler whispered salaciously. "You're going to make a wonderful submissive." He un-cuffed Jeremy and immediately took him into his arms, running the fingers of his clean hand through his hair soothingly making the boy purr softly.

"Are you alright, pet?" Tyler asked quietly. "How do you feel?"

"I'm okay, Master. Just tired," Jeremy mumbled out, a wide yawn following. Tyler kissed his forehead.

"Were you okay with the spanking? Did that upset you?"

"No Master…I liked it very much," Jeremy admitted with a blush. Tyler chuckled.

"I'm glad." He untangled from Jeremy and went into the bathroom, coming out with a damp cloth. He tenderly wiped Jeremy down before throwing it in the hamper in the corner of the room. He pulled the covers back, nodding at his charge to get in; Jeremy looked at him with wide eyes.

"What's wrong?" Tyler asked in concern.

"Will you…will you stay?" he asked meekly, nearly sounding like a child. He hated that he sounded so needy but he didn't want to be alone.

To his relief Tyler smiled and nodded; as starved for affection as Jeremy was, it would have been cruel to leave him alone when he was so vulnerable. Tyler never planned on leaving him alone after any session; Jeremy was someone who would need tender love and care each time.

"Of course, pet," he murmured. "I'll stay after every session; you never have to ask. If you ever want to be alone, just tell me and I will give you your space."

"Okay," he smiled. Tyler stripped down and got in, taking Jeremy in his arms and placing Jeremy's head on his chest. He smiled when he heard Jeremy sigh in content and felt him snuggle further into his side.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

Katherine groaned loudly, gripping the headboard of the bed in her playroom tightly as she knelt on the bed, Caroline's face between her legs. She could feel her thighs shaking as she rolled her body down repeatedly, nearing released. Caroline's arms were tied to the board with silk ties, her feet tied with the leather cuffs at the end of the bed that were raised, suspending her legs in the air and holding them apart, her tongue flicking over the moist nub over and over before thrusting inside her entrance. Katherine let out a few curses in French before crying out, Caroline moaning as Katherine's essence filled her mouth. The Bulgarian rode out her orgasm before slumping forward, breathing heavily. She climbed off Caroline and kissed her hard, tasting herself while her hand traveled down to Caroline's wetness. The blonde cried out when the fingers slipped inside her, Katherine's thumb rubbing over her clit.

"You naughty girl," Katherine murmured huskily as Caroline threw her head back. "You love it when I sit on your face."

Caroline whimpered and arched her back, "Yes, Mistress!"

"You are so naughty, what am I going to do with a wicked girl like you, hmm?" Katherine muttered as she moved her fingers faster. "I think you want to be fucked, that is why you have been so bad."

Caroline gripped the headboard as she flew over the edge, her Mistress's words making her extremely aroused. Katherine removed her fingers, going down and licking Caroline's entrance and her clit before pulling back.

"You taste so sweet," she whispered, her tone sultry. She reached under the bed and pulled out a large box; she opened it and grinned when she found what she was looking for. She pulled out the dildo and strapped it on making sure it was secure before reaching in again and pulling out a gag. She grinned wickedly and climbed up the bed, fitting the ball into her sub's mouth and strapping it on securely.

"You dirty, dirty girl," she whispered with a smirk as she slid back down and spread Caroline's legs apart farther from their place in the air. "Which hole do you want it in?"

Caroline's voice sounded muffled from the gag; Katherine watched her through hooded eyes for a couple seconds before climbing on the bed again.

"I know what you want," she murmured as she rubbed Caroline's clit with the dildo before thrusting inside her making her cry out through the gag. She pulled back and slammed in again and again, Caroline's muffled screams of pleasure spurring her on. The blonde gripped the headboard tightly as she came again, moaning when Katherine removed the dildo and smacked it against her moist nub. She was drowning in pleasure, her body convulsing with spasms as Katherine thrust back into her and rubbed her clit bringing her over again.

When Caroline collapsed against the bed completely out of breath Katherine removed the strap-on and slinked up her body, kissing and licking until she reached her face and removed the gag. She kissed her submissive slowly, both of them coming down from the high the scene provided seconds before. Katherine untied Caroline's hands carefully and looked them over, making sure there were no bruises before untying her feet and letting them drop heavily to the bed one by one after inspecting them for marks.

"Are you alright _amour_?" Katherine asked gently, her tone different from moments before. Caroline nodded and smiled tiredly, sighing in content when Katherine crawled next to her and pulled her into her arms. She pressed her lips to the blonde's again, the two sharing tender kisses as they both relished in the afterglow of their scene. This was Katherine's favorite part; being able to bask in Caroline's warmth and just hold her.

"Did you enjoy?" she asked quietly, needing to know Caroline was alright. The blonde nodded and kissed her cheek.

"Yes, Mistress. You always make me feel good," she sighed as she nuzzled her neck. Katherine held her for a few more moments, letting her come down more from her high safely before she kissed her forehead and stood pulling Caroline up as well, leading her into the bathroom. Before entering the bathroom she reached inside the mini refrigerator next to the door and grabbed a small bottle of orange juice for Caroline; the blonde smiled gratefully and linked her other hand with Katherine's, looking forward to the warm bubble bath they would soon share.

* * *

**Hope that was kinky enough for you guys! Tell me what you think!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello my lovelies! I'm deeply sorry this is coming so late but I do have a good reason! I have two jobs, both in retail, and the holidays are coming up, so it's difficult trying to juggle the two. My updates for my stories will be coming a little slower for a while until things settle down and I get back in school and I have a set schedule but please don't give up hope on these stories! I'll try as hard as I can to update as much as possible for you guys :)**

**Thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter! I'm happy you guys are taking the time to read and review this! Please keep up the reviews, they make me so happy :)**

**Warnings: More kinky BDSMish sex :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries.**

* * *

Jeremy awoke first; he could tell that it was nighttime from the way the still lit candles made shadows along the walls and across the bed. He shifted in Tyler's arms and gazed at the still sleeping man's face; he was undeniably handsome, his features peaceful in sleep. Jeremy couldn't help but reach out a hand to caress his face, feeling his smooth skin. Tyler was perfection; it was no wonder why everyone wanted a piece of him. He had an air of mystery about him that was captivating, an aura of sophistication that made him shine with elegance in Jeremy's eyes. He was the man that every woman wanted to be with, that every man wanted to be, the one that everyone wanted to know everything about and Tyler would keep them guessing, never giving them his full story. Jeremy supposed that's what made him and Katherine so popular; no one could ever get enough of them.

He sighed as he snuggled closer to his master as his negative thoughts began to creep into his mind. When August came, would Tyler just dump him in a brand new apartment somewhere and forget about him? The thought hurt him deeper than he wanted to admit; he hoped that Tyler cared at least a little for him but the billionaire had been doing this for years, what would make him stand out from the others? He was sure there were more beautiful submissives Tyler had had who were probably nowhere near as neurotic as he so why would Tyler Lockwood feel something for him? He was a nobody, would never be anything. He pressed his face in Tyler's neck to suppress a whimper, tears welling in his eyes as these desolate thoughts swirled around his head; he blocked them out as best he could and decided to try and enjoy his time with this glorious man before he had to give him up.

Tyler's arm tightened around him and Jeremy quickly wiped his eyes, pretending to remove the sleep from them. He felt a kiss to his forehead, which made his breath catch and his heart break at the same time and strong fingers running down his back.

"Wake up, pet," Tyler cooed softly. Jeremy pretended to yawn and looked into the beautiful chocolate orbs. "You feel okay?"

"Yes, sir," Jeremy mumbled. Tyler bent his head to kiss him sleepily for a few moments feeling himself harden; he hoped that Jeremy wouldn't freak out for what he was about to have him do.

"Look at me," he ordered softly when he pulled back; Jeremy complied, his expressive eyes bright and his cheeks flushed. Tyler stared into his eyes for a few moments before asking, "Have you ever given a blow job, Jeremy?"

Jeremy's eyes widened but there were only faint traces of fear; he shook his head no, like Tyler expected he would.

"I'm going to teach you right now." Jeremy looked at him with wide doe eyes and Tyler's fingers went into his hair, brushing gently. "It's alright pet; I don't expect you to do it perfect the first time."

Jeremy nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He knew this had to come at some point, he just hoped he didn't make a fool of himself. Tyler pushed Jeremy's body down, fingers continued to go through his hair as he shifted Jeremy down, his face level with his cock.

"Put your mouth on it. Be careful of your teeth," Tyler instructed. Jeremy took a deep breath before he did as he was instructed; Tyler bit his lip, fighting not to buck into his mouth.

"Good boy," he breathed, his fingers never letting up; instead he gently pushed Jeremy's head down and brought it back up again, repeating the action a couple of times until Jeremy got the idea. His tongue moved along the skin, creating an exquisite friction and he moaned.

"Keep going," Tyler muttered huskily. "You're doing good pet."

Jeremy tried to swallow to keep some of his spit in his mouth and Tyler suddenly bucked into his mouth; he froze, not sure how to proceed.

"Sorry," Tyler murmured, his fingers going back in his hair before his hand was guiding Jeremy's head again. Tyler groaned, his head dropping back; whether or not Jeremy knew it, he was good at this. He smirked inwardly; they would have to explore this more when Jeremy was fully trained.

"Jesus," Tyler panted breathlessly as Jeremy's tongue moved again; he would have to teach him some tricks. "Let me see your eyes."

Jeremy's big brown eyes met his while his head kept bobbing and Tyler felt himself come close to the edge; he stopped Jeremy after a few more moments, pushing him off gently before finishing on the bed. He would have to work Jeremy up to swallowing.

"Good boy, very good boy." He brought Jeremy to him. He kissed him softly, pulling back to look deep into his eyes. "How do you feel?"

"I feel fine Master," Jeremy said, looking uncertain. Tyler kissed him again, deeply and slowly making Jeremy moan into his mouth.

"You did well, you're learning fast," he murmured, stroking his hair. "Lay down on your stomach so I can give you a massage."

Jeremy's lips quirked into a smile and he nodded, laying down and burying his head into his pillow. Tyler's fond smile returned as he grabbed a bottle of lavender lotion from his drawer, straddling Jeremy as he poured some into his hand and spread it across his back; he worked his shoulders, then his back listening to Jeremy's soft sighs. When he reached his bottom he licked his lips, an idea coming to him.

"Jeremy," he murmured as he turned the boy over and kissed him deeply. He pulled back slightly. "Do you trust me?"

Jeremy looked at him for a moment before nodding slowly. Tyler stroked his cheek.

"Do you trust me to explore your limits without hurting you?"

Jeremy paused for a moment before answering. "Yes, Master."

"Good boy," he kissed him quickly. "What are the safe words?"

"Red for stop, yellow for slow down, green for go," he recited, wondering where this was going. Tyler smiled before climbing off the bed and reaching under it, grabbing a big, black chest. He typed in his three number passcode before opening it, rummaging around for a moment before he found what he was looking for.

"I want to try something with you that I know you'll like," he said as he held a plastic box of saran wrap. "I know you're claustrophobic but do you think you can handle this? I'll only wrap you from your shoulders to your ankles."

Jeremy swallowed heavily; he had no idea what the hell Tyler was thinking but he knew he trusted him enough to let it happen. It wasn't like Tyler was going to throw him in a closet after he wrapped him up. "Yes, Master, I can."

"Very good, pet. I'm glad you're willing to try." Tyler smirked; he reached into the box again and pulled out a string of thick, blue anal beads and a crisscross red and black patterned flogger with multiple, leather ends. Jeremy tried to squash his growing panic as he wondered what he was getting into.

"I want you to relax, pet. This is going to push your limits because it's going to make you very sensitive. Remember to use those words if you don't think you can handle anymore, okay?"

"Yes sir," Jeremy said as he watched Tyler set all the items on the bed. His master was really into some freaky sex.

"These beads are going inside you," Tyler explained as he lubricated them with massage oil. "They'll be in a position where they are stimulating you no matter which way you move." He circled Jeremy's entrance a few times before thrusting a finger inside, smirking wider at the moan he let out. He added a second finger, spreading his fingers for a few moments before pulling out and carefully putting the silicone beads inside. The beads were big enough to fill him and press into his prostate and Jeremy whimpered at the amount of stimulation he was already receiving, Tyler squeezed his neck tenderly.

"Now stand up." He smirked when Jeremy stood with some difficulty, the pleasure he was receiving from the beads nearly unbearable. His jaw was clenched together as he reached around to grab his stiffening cock. Tyler smacked his hand away.

"No, you're not allowed to come," Tyler ordered; Jeremy let out a whine. "If you do, I'll have to use the cock ring. Do you understand, Jeremy?"

"Yes sir," he managed through gritted teeth.

"Good, now stay still." He wrapped the saran wrap around Jeremy from his chest to his ankles making sure to heave his shoulders bare, carefully gauging his reaction. When he was satisfied with his work he cut the piece and stuck the end to Jeremy.

"How do you feel Jeremy?" he asked seductively; Jeremy was biting his lip so hard Tyler was sure it would start bleeding.

"Fine…Master." His voice came out strained. Tyler smiled and walked to the wall, turning the temperature on the thermostat to 60 degrees; he didn't want Jeremy to overheat. Then he took the whip in his hand.

"This is a flogger; when I hit you, you will only feel an intense tingling sensation. It won't hurt you." He went around to the nightstand on the left side and pulled out the blindfold. He folded it and wrapped it around Jeremy's eyes. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes, Master," he murmured quietly. Tyler squeezed his neck again before guiding him to lie on his stomach on the bed. Jeremy groaned when the beads shifted inside him, pressing against his prostate more and further stimulating him. No matter which way he tried to move, the saran wrap held the beads in place.

"Let's begin," Tyler said as he brought the flogger down on Jeremy's wrapped behind; Jeremy cried out when the leather pieces came down directly on the area of the beads, his whole bottom tingling and the beads pressing more into his prostate. The tingling sensation was intense as Tyler struck various parts of his covered body, the sensations nearly overwhelming. Jeremy opened his mouth to breathe when the flogger came down again on his behind and he cried out, his erection not being able to come in fully due to the saran wrap. Not being able to see where Tyler would strike next heightened the experience.

All around him the leather pieces seemed to strike him, sending his mind into a state of numbing oblivion. All he could focus on was the sensation of feeling the leather hit his covered body, especially his behind where the beads were pressing deliciously into his prostate.

"How does it feel?" Tyler's voice sounded somewhere to his right.

"Intense," he said breathlessly; if he wasn't mummified from the shoulders down, he would probably be shaking, his mind was starting to numb from pleasure. Tyler hummed and rolled Jeremy onto his back, smirking at the half bulge that managed to form through the wrap.

"Well what do we have here?" He stroked for a moment, smiling at Jeremy's high-pitched moan. He smirked wickedly before bringing the flogger down on the area, a little lighter than he had been; he smirked when he received the action he wanted.

Jeremy let out a choked cry when the intense sensation returned, this time on his half-erection that was now straining near painfully against the wrap. The anal beads had shifted again when he was put on his back, now stimulating his prostate fully, the sensations increasing tenfold. The flogger came down again and again and soon Jeremy was nearly screaming from the sensation; the tingles of the flogger combined with the beads pressing into his prostate were sending his mind into overdrive, not even aware he was babbling incoherent sentences.

"Please don't stop don't stop please—please Master please touch me touch me touch me—"

"Do you want to come, Jeremy?" Tyler taunted as the leather came down again. Jeremy keened loudly and whimpered out a, "Yes! Please, please, please Master!"

The leather pieces came down again on his half-erection, the anal beads pressed deeper. Jeremy felt all sense leave him.

"You've been a good boy, I can allow that," Tyler smirked. He quickly found the scissors he kept in his box and carefully cut the saran wrap, mindful of Jeremy underneath it. When he had freed Jeremy from his plastic prison and threw it on the floor, he quickly cuffed his ankles and his wrists securely, leaving the blind fold on. He traced a pattern with his hand down Jeremy's chest making sure to lightly touch his nipples, smirking at the way he whimpered and arched into the touch, his body still sensitized from the flogger and his erection immediately springing to full attention.

"Now you're mine," he whispered as he grabbed the handle of the anal beads; he twisted the beads and Jeremy screamed with abandon as he came, his whole body convulsing and shaking as he strained against the cuffs. The waves of pleasure seemed never ending to his over-sensitive nerves and after what seemed like hours, he collapsed back onto the bed limply breathing as if his head had been held underwater until the very last second. Tyler had removed the beads carefully, pulling another groan from him and he kissed the insides of his thighs before slowly removing the cuffs from his ankles and wrists, gently stroking as he did so.

"You did very well, pet," Tyler murmured saving the blindfold for last. "I'll have to give you a reward, you've pleased me greatly."

Jeremy was hardly aware of anything, his mind floating from the immense pleasure moments before. His body was shaking, his breathing was labored; when Tyler removed the blindfold he didn't open his eyes, not having the strength at the moment to do so. He lay on his back, only moving when Tyler sat against the headboard and slowly brought Jeremy to lie against his chest, bringing a Hershey's chocolate bar into view.

"Eat this," Tyler murmured as he broke a piece of chocolate off the cold bar and pressed it to Jeremy's lips; through his gasping he accepted the chocolate, letting Tyler feed him until it was halfway gone.

"You're going to need a bath," Tyler crooned placing the half-eaten bar on his nightstand. "How do you feel, pet?"

"Fine…Master," Jeremy gasped through gulping in air, shivering when the billionaire's hand traveled down his sweaty chest. Tyler kissed his forehead.

"Just breathe," he whispered, dropping kisses to his face occasionally. Jeremy shifted to get closer to him, turning and wrapping his arms around his waist and burying his face in Tyler's neck listening to the elder man whisper nothings in his ear and rub his back comfortingly.

After ten minutes Tyler muttered, "It's time for your bath," and he slipped from under Jeremy, lifting the boy into his strong arms; Jeremy was still underweight for a boy his age even though Tyler had been making sure he ate three good meals a day. Jeremy moaned lightly, his face going back to Tyler's neck as the light from the bathroom assaulted his eyes. He sat Jeremy on the bottom stair of the Jacuzzi tub and fiddled with the temperature of the water, adding bubbles that smelled of lavender and vanilla. After he dimmed the lights he slowly pulled Jeremy to his feet and guided him into the tub, immediately moving to sit behind him and letting the brown head fall against his shoulder, his arms holding him securely around his waist. He cupped water in his hand letting it run over Jeremy's chest, the boy turning into putty in his arms as he relaxed and sank further into Tyler's warm embrace. He smiled; this was most important part of being a Dominant, being able to safely guide the submissive back to their senses from the heightened state they were just in. He could tell this was exactly what Jeremy needed by the way he was now completely limp in his arms and he couldn't help but press a light kiss to his hair.

After a long moment the Dominant billionaire gently massaged shampoo in Jeremy's hair before telling Jeremy to close his eyes and maneuvering him under the high faucet to rinse off doing the same with the conditioner before he pulled the limp boy into his arms and just held him, feeling his tremors slow to a stop. The pale boy sank deeper into the water, his head falling back onto Tyler's shoulder with a moan as the billionaire took a bath sponge and poured lavender bath gel, rubbing it in; he washed Jeremy's chest gently, almost loving in how light his caresses were. Tyler couldn't resist nibbling on Jeremy's ear as he washed him; his hands slipped under the water and felt the younger's erection coming to life again. Jeremy moaned when Tyler's hands brushed over him and he wriggled slightly, trying to get his hips to follow. Tyler smirked licking the shell of Jeremy's ear before one hand plunged underwater again to take hold of the stiffening organ.

"Just relax." His hand started moving at a comfortable pace, his thumb rubbing the head; Jeremy started panting and he became even more lucid in his embrace. After another moment or two he felt Jeremy pulse in his hand and that was the only warning he got before he whimpered and he was coming under the water, back arching off of Tyler's chest until he collapsed, completely exhausted and limp in Tyler's arms. Tyler kissed his damp hair again and he sank further into the tub as well, careful not to let Jeremy go under.

* * *

The next morning when he made sure no one was around Elijah slipped into one of the rooms in the pool house and quietly shut the door, locking it. He pulled out his phone and dialed his home number.

"Hello?" his sister's voice sounded haughtily over the phone. Elijah rolled his eyes.

"Give the phone to father, I need to speak with him," he snapped. She huffed and he could imagine her rolling her eyes as she screamed for her father to pick up the phone.

"Stop screaming like a God-damned banshee, it's undignified!" he could hear Mikael snapping as he took the phone. "Elijah, what is it?"

"They are attending a play party sometime in the next month, where those with alternate lifestyles can go and enjoy one another's company. I can send the email to you when I get the chance. He's going to bring the boy with him. And the Salvatores will be attending as well, I overheard Katherine confirming with Stefan Salvatore on the phone earlier."

"How interesting," Mikael mused. "Stefan Salvatore will be there?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure if he will be going alone."

"Let's hope he does, I'm very interested to know why he is keeping his supposed marriage from the public," Michel muttered. "I got your picture of the boy, he is pretty."

"Very. I think he would go for a high bid. He's very…delicate," Elijah mused. "We would make a fortune off of him."

"Yes we would. The ambassador will be pleased; this will make up for Klaus," Mikael spat the name of his second eldest son. "I'll call you with a plan later."

Elijah nodded and hung up, smirking at the thought of getting a cut of the profit; it was only fair seeing as he was the one who showed the boy to his father in the first place.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

From her place in the other room, Rebekah let out a light gasp as she heard the name of her brother. She quietly ran upstairs before her father knew she was listening and shut the door, leaning against it; what in the world what going on? She hadn't heard Klaus' name mentioned in so long she started to believe she was the only one who remembered he was a part of their family. _Was_ she thought sadly as she thought of the day her father sat her and her other siblings down and told them that Klaus had run away. She couldn't understand why he would want to leave them and had always been suspicious of her father's explanation of his disappearance, especially when he didn't contact any police or authority to find him. She, Kol and Henrik spent months trying to find him, their mother inconsolable with grief over his departure and the death of their eldest brother Finn but every lead they had turned cold and eventually they had to come to the conclusion that Klaus was either dead or didn't want to be found. She often wondered if he was kidnapped but her father didn't seem too concerned with trying to find her brother either way.

She frowned; when she really thought about it that was around the time that he and Kol started having really heated arguments. Rebekah never understood why Kol hated their father but now she was beginning to wonder if Kol knew more about Klaus' disappearance than he said he did. Or if he found out too much and that was the reason their father threw him out of their home. And now, with Klaus' name being brought up again…something was up. There was something she was missing and she wanted answers.

She quickly slipped out of her nightgown into a warm, wool dress and her snug brown boots, grabbing a thin scarf and a pair of sunglasses from her dresser before heading downstairs, yelling to her father that she was leaving. She slipped into the limo quickly and closed the door.

"Take me to the Westmont Mall and be quick. And don't wait up, I'll be a while," she snapped impatiently; according to the schedule the next bus would be arriving in ten minutes and from there it was a thirty minute ride to the police station. The driver immediately pulled out of the roundabout driveway and sped to the mall, nearly mowing down two people crossing the street in the process. Rebekah sighed in relief when they pulled up and the bus wasn't in sight; she quickly shoved the huge sunglasses on her face and wrapped the scarf around her hair, getting out of the limo and slamming the door without so much as a thank you. Securing her Gucci purse on her shoulder she waited until the limo was out of sight then walked quickly to the clean bench and sat down, foot tapping impatiently as she waited for the bus to arrive.

* * *

That same morning Jeremy and Tyler shared a hot shower before Elijah called them for breakfast. Katherine and Caroline were already eating by the time they came down.

"Someone had a good night last night, you did not come down for dinner," Katherine said with a small smirk. Tyler returned it as he sat, Jeremy on his right side blushing. He began eating his food to distract himself, ignoring Caroline's smiling eyes on him.

"Good morning to you too," Tyler replied with a sly smile. "And it was a _very_ good night." Jeremy's face, if possible, got redder; the girls giggled as they watched him.

"I received an email this morning from Anna. She's hosting the monthly play party next weekend," Katherine said as she ate a couple pieces of egg. "She's having it in that building where the new nightclub was built."

"In that huge warehouse?" Tyler asked. "That place with three helicopter landing pads?"

"Yes, Damon and Stefan have said they would be attending; it will probably be the biggest party Anna has hosted."

"Sounds like something we need to be present for," Tyler said slyly. "You can RSVP for Jeremy and I."

"Alright," she murmured before taking a sip of her mimosa. "Has Caroline told you about the play parties Jeremy?"

Jeremy raised his head when he heard his name and nodded, "Yes ma'am."

"Did she tell you that scenes take place at these parties? They have the appropriate equipment to use for bondage and suspension but attendees bring their own whips and canes for sanitary purposes."

Jeremy nodded mentally cringing at the thought of being chained in front of people he didn't know. The thought made his heart beat just a bit faster.

"That is, of course, you like to perform in front of others. You do not have to take part in these scenes, whether or not you do is between you and your master."

He sighed inwardly with relief, "Of course, thank you Mistress."

"I'm not one for public humiliation so you don't need to worry about going through that. I tried it once, it wasn't very pleasant," Tyler grimaced. Jeremy stared at him as his words sunk in.

"You were a submissive?"

Tyler nodded, "For two years. My Dominant taught me to submit then how to be a proper Dominant. He said that in order to treat submissives right, you have to understand what they go through and the only way to do that is to be one."

Jeremy stared at him in shock; he would have never guessed that Tyler was somebody's submissive, much less a male somebody. In fact, as he looked between Katherine and Tyler, neither one of them looked like the submissive type.

"I think I've shocked him," Tyler chuckled, the women joining in. Jeremy blushed and averted his eyes.

"Sorry it's just…you don't look like—"

"The submissive type, I know," Tyler finished. "It was more of a discipline thing. I was…very out of control when I was a teenager, especially when my father died. My uncle told me to get my act together or I would be shipped off to some boot camp boarding school with bars on the windows. That's how I met Damon and Stefan. Stefan was my Dominant."

Jeremy nodded and looked back down at his plate, trying desperately to ignore the jealously at the fact that Tyler once belonged to someone else the way he belonged to him now. It made sense that Tyler would have had to learn to dominate someone from experience but it bothered him that the dashing billionaire depended on someone else at one point to take care of him the way he was now. He shoveled bacon into his mouth to try and distract himself from his complex feelings.

He was grateful when Katherine changed the subject to a work topic so Jeremy didn't have to comment; he met Caroline's eyes across the table and she gave him a small smile, as if she knew exactly how he was feeling. He wondered if she did; he made a mental to ask her when they were alone.

When their dishes were taken and fruit and coffee was brought out, the conversation turned to Stefan again.

"Has Damon found out any more about Stefan's wife?" Tyler asked. Jeremy raised his head to look at Katherine as she shook her head, her brown curls moving easily with her.

"No, he has not. He is getting very frustrated," she giggled. "Though I do not blame him. Stefan should have invited us to his nuptials."

"I just can't believe no one's ever seen her," Tyler popped a grape into his mouth. "He's never brought her to any of our parties or the play parties, he always goes alone."

"Maybe she is just shy?" Katherine wondered. "Or maybe it is as you said before; he does not want anyone to know for her protection."

"But we're bound by code at play parties not to discuss what happens there with those who weren't there. He could at least bring her to one of those."

"You seem awfully curious about Stefan," Katherine said slyly. "Do you really wish to see who has replaced you so badly?"

Tyler rolled his eyes, "I just want to know why no one's ever seen her. Don't look at me like that Katherine; I'm not in love with him."

"Whatever you say _cher_ _frère_," Katherine smirked, her eyes flicking to Jeremy's bowed head. She smiled briefly; she had a feeling it wouldn't have taken long for Jeremy to develop feelings for Tyler.

Tyler rolled his eyes and ate the last bit of fruit off his plate before standing. "Well Jeremy and I are going to watch a movie. We'll be in the den if you need us."

He beckoned for Jeremy to follow him and they went into the den that was easily as big as Jeremy's previous apartment. He looked around the room that also served as a movie theater; there were three rows of black leather seats and a huge flat screen television that rested on the dark red wall in front of him. Along the back wall were rows and rows of DVDs; Jeremy guessed there were hundreds of discs. Tyler made himself comfortable, beckoning Jeremy to sit next to him. He took the digital pad sitting on the seat next to him and pushed a few buttons, making the TV come to life. He pressed a couple more buttons before the menu for _The_ _Rum_ _Diary_ came on the screen.

"Have you seen this movie?" Tyler asked. Jeremy shook his head.

"I'm not really up to date on movies; I never have time to watch them…or the money."

Tyler nodded, feeling a pang of sadness in his heart as he pushed play and reclined in his chair. He patted his lap, smirking slightly at Jeremy's confused look. "Lay your head here; get under the blanket if you're cold."

Jeremy nodded and stretched across the seats to grab the blanket sitting in the last seat; he unfolded it and spread it across himself before laying his head in Tyler's lap, the fleece from his pajamas soft against his face. He couldn't help but let out a purr as Tyler's fingers found their way into his hair and ten minutes into the movie he was asleep.

Tyler looked down after twenty minutes and smiled softly when he saw Jeremy sleeping. He didn't blame the boy; he should be exhausted from all the mental and emotional exertion he'd experienced lately. With each passing day they were together Tyler was determined to give Jeremy a better life; the boy was really starting to grow on him. He didn't care if Rebekah thought he was the worst husband in Atteca; no matter if the beautiful boy remained his submissive or not after he was married, he was always going to put Jeremy's needs first.

* * *

**Reviews are love!**


	11. Chapter 11

**You guys are the best! Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts and favorites! I've been trying to find time here and there to update and I don't have to work tomorrow so here is another chapter! There's no sex in this one (boo!) but I hope you guys will still enjoy it :) please let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

* * *

Rebekah stepped off the bus in District Three with a disdainful frown; she never realized how filthy public transportation could be and she was grateful that she didn't have to travel any farther. She looked around before heading into the Nivea Police Department building where her brother worked, stopping in the middle of the entrance as she noticed how chaotic it was. How was she supposed to find Kol?

A blond-haired man decided to walk by at that moment and he stopped when he saw her. "Ma'am? Can I help you?"

Rebekah jumped slightly and turned to him, immediately noticing his handsome, boyish face. He looked as if he were the star of his high-school football team, a golden boy that her parents would have encouraged her to date and she probably would have before her rebellious stages.

"Yes, I'm looking for Kol Mikaelson," she said briskly as she adjusted her purse on her shoulder. "Do you know where he is?"

"I can take you to him, I'm his partner," he replied, still staring at her. Rebekah huffed a, "What?" to him.

"There's no sun in here ma'am, you don't need your glasses," he gave her a tiny smirk. Rebekah scowled at him; if he knew who she really was he would be kissing the ground she walked on.

"Just take me to him," she snapped; the blond chuckled for a moment before leading the way. She was led through two small hallways before taking an elevator to the third floor, feeling the young man's eyes on her the whole ride up. She sighed when they finally approached the door that had her brother's name above 'Matt Donovan.'

"Here we are," he said as he stepped to the side. "Do you need anything else today, Miss?"

"No," she muttered before opening the door, ignoring his smile and the little flip her heart did when he addressed her as 'miss'. She turned when she heard Kol's sharp intake of breath and she immediately shut the door behind her.

"Bekah, what are you doing here?" Kol asked as he came around his desk. "Does Mikael know you're here?"

"No, he thinks I'm at Westmont with friends," she sighed as she sat down and removed her disguise. "He would be angry if he knew I was here."

"I know, I hate that he's banned you and Henrik from seeing me," Kol muttered sitting next to her. He wrapped her in a one-armed hug. "I miss you."

"I miss you too," she wondered how things had become so complicated; since when wasn't she allowed to see members of her own family?

"Not that I'm not happy to see you but…why are you here? Did something happen?" Kol asked worriedly. Rebekah shook her head tossing her blonde hair to one side.

"I overheard father on the phone this morning with Elijah…he mentioned Klaus," she murmured; out the corner of her eye she saw Kol visibly tense. "Elijah sent him a picture of someone and he said that it would make up for Klaus. He hasn't mentioned Klaus since he left, Kol."

"I see," Kol said stiffly as he stood; Rebekah watched as he went back to his seat on the other side of the desk and sat down. She was confused for a few moments before a thought struck her.

"You know where he is, don't you?"

Kol was silent for a moment before sighing heavily, "I used to know. I haven't heard from Klaus in years. I thought he might have left the country."

"What happened? Why did he leave?" she pleaded. "He was the closest to you Kol. Tell me what happened."

"Bekah," he sighed. "There are things that you don't know…terrible things that father has done. I don't think I should tell you, it's not something a young lady in high society should be involved in."

"Kol please!" Rebekah pleaded. "Klaus is my brother too. You know how long we looked for him, how devastated we were when was when he was gone! Henrik has never gotten over it—he still has nightmares! We deserve to know what happened to him!"

Kol sighed again and was silent for longer before speaking. "If I tell you what happened, you can't tell Henrik, at least not yet. He's only seventeen, he needs to focus on school and college, he doesn't need to hear this. And you can't—_can't_—repeat what I am about to tell you. If Mikael knew you knew anything he wouldn't hesitate to take every measure to keep you silent."

Her eyes widened and her heart started beating faster. "Did he...kill Klaus?"

"I'm not sure, his body hasn't been recovered. But he killed Richard Lockwood."

"There was never any proof father did that!" she exclaimed, feeling the need to defend her father. "Tyler was just upset and he blamed father because he was the last person to see him before he died!"

"Rebekah, I swear to you it's the truth," Kol said seriously. "We can't prove it because Mikael cleans up very well but he is the only one with motive and even though someone vouched for his wereabouts that night, his statement can put him at the scene at the time of his murder. Rebekah if you want to know everything, you can't let on that you do know. You can't ask questions about Klaus or that night or anything else. This is really serious."

Rebekah paused at the serious look on his face; did she really want to know what was going on? If it was this serious, if she could _die_ for knowing, was it worth knowing at all? Her mind immediately went back to Klaus and she knew she couldn't leave without knowing what happened to her brother.

"You have my word," she swore. "Now tell me everything."

* * *

"How do you feel, pet?" Tyler asked soothingly as he watched Jeremy put on the clothes he picked out for him to wear to the play party tonight. "Are you nervous?"

"A little," he admitted as he pulled on the blush-worthy tight black jeans. "I just don't know what to expect. Caroline tried to explain it but…"

"You need to see it for yourself," Tyler finished in understanding; he briefly wondered if it was a good idea to bring someone with a fear of touch to a place where touch was inevitable. He would have to keep Jeremy as calm as possible.

"Will there be…a lot of people?" he asked anxiously, his wide eyes showing Tyler the fear he felt. He stood from the bed and walked to Jeremy, cupping his face tenderly.

"Yes. I hate to say this but accidentally brushing against someone will more than likely happen a lot. But you're not to leave my side unless it's absolutely necessary, alright?"

Jeremy nodded and mumbled, "Yes sir."

"Good. Take deep breaths pet, you're going to be fine and you're going to see it's not a bad environment to be in," Tyler soothed as his fingers went through Jeremy's hair; the boy moaned lightly and nodded. Tyler pulled back and walked back to the bed, grabbing the little bag he brought with him when he presented Jeremy's outfit.

"I got you something today." He took out a black, square box and Jeremy could already tell it was expensive.

"One of the things I regret not being able to do with my submissives is having a collaring ceremony. It's too risky to do with the press always butting into my business. The Mistress feels the same way," Tyler said softly as he removed the lid. Jeremy gasped as he stared at the most beautiful—and probably most expensive—silver chain he'd ever seen. Three pieces of semi-thick silver were woven together to create the necklace that was shining in all its glory; a silver T dangled from the center. Jeremy tore his eyes away from the brilliant piece and looked at Tyler again.

"For me?" he squeaked; he immediately thought back to when Caroline told him Tyler only got his subs woven bands as collars and blushed. Tyler nodded, a smirk gracing his features.

"I thought it was fitting for you. I actually spent a lot of time looking for the perfect collar for you. I didn't think the bands I usually give my submissives did you justice."

Jeremy's breath caught at the words and he forced his mind to stop doing the happy dance. "You're too kind Master…but you didn't need to do that for me."

"No, I _wanted_ to do it for you. You're special," Tyler murmured as he removed the 'collar' from its box. "Turn around; I want to see it on you."

Jeremy did as he was instructed, his heart starting to race as Tyler's words ran through his head. Why was _he_ special? What did Tyler see in him that made him different from all the others? He was happy but he didn't understand what in the world this gorgeous billionaire could see in a pathetic boy like him.

"It fits perfectly, like I'd hoped it would," Tyler whispered, trailing his fingers along the back of his neck before turning Jeremy back around; he licked his lips at the gorgeous sight his submissive made and briefly considered skipping the party in favor of a session. "You look delectable, pet. Blue is definitely your color."

"Th-thank you, Master," Jeremy said meekly, blushing furiously at the comment and Tyler's accompanying smirk. He reached out and unbuttoned the first three buttons on Jeremy's dark-blue silk shirt before smoothing his hands down his chest, the silver T shining brightly in the light of the room. "Now you look presentable. I want everyone to see that collar around your neck to show that you are taken. There will be a lot of Dominants looking around for a submissive and I want no mistake that you're spoken for."

Jeremy shivered at Tyler's tone, mentally cheering at how possessive he sounded. He nodded in understanding, "Yes sir. Thank you."

"My pleasure. Now let's go, the girls are probably waiting," he muttered as he looked at his watch again. They were already an hour and a half late but Tyler and Katherine were known for their fashionably late appearances; it made people love them more.

The two left the room with Tyler leading the way and they walked around the hall to where Jeremy's room was located and down a flight of stairs Jeremy hadn't even noticed before. These took them into what looked like a game room and the other side of the bar before they were outside on the patio where they often had breakfast when the weather was nice. Caroline and Katherine smiled at them in greeting, each looking stunning in their attire picked for tonight's festivities.

"You look handsome," Katherine murmured as she pecked Jeremy on both cheeks, the perfume she was wearing reminding him of the woods and flowers. She turned to Tyler and pecked his cheeks as well, smirking as she looked him up and down. "You look dashing as always _cher_ _frère_."

"As do you," Tyler smirked back, taking in her black leather pants, black corset top and shiny black pumps. "And Caroline; Katherine always comes up with the most creative outfits for you to wear."

"Thank you sir," she said and bowed her head with a smile; her outfit, Jeremy noted, resembled a Halloween costume. She wore a tight, blue corset that was laced in the front with red ribbon and tied in the back with a short yellow tutu as her only means of covering her lower half. On her pale legs were white knee-high socks, the tops surrounded with the red ribbon and tied at the front on each leg and black, glittery closed-toe pumps adorned her feet. Her hair was done in an elegant bun with a few curls trailing from it with a red ribbon tied in a bow in the front, her shiny diamond pendant glittering from where it rested on her chest.

"We are going to try a new scene; she is Snow White and I am the evil queen who took her prisoner," Katherine said with a wicked grin. Tyler chuckled and Jeremy couldn't help the smile that crossed his face.

"Very clever, we'll have to try something like that, thought a little less feminine," he murmured in thought; he had imagined Jeremy in drag and he liked the idea but he wasn't sure how his sub felt about wearing women's clothes, even if only for a little while. He'd have to ask him later.

"Shall we?" Tyler gestured to Elijah in the white Cadillac golf cart that was waiting for them. Once the four had gotten in Elijah took off across the field, over a couple hills and behind a cluster of trees where a large landing pad with a black and blue helicopter sat fired up and ready for take-off. Jeremy's heart started pounding when the cart stopped and he stepped onto the cement; he had never flown in anything before.

As if Tyler had read his mind he ran his fingers through Jeremy's hair and turned the pale boy to face him. "Have you ever flown before, Jeremy?"

He shook his head, his mind berating him at how inexperienced he was. Tyler leaned in and kissed the corner of his mouth; he pulled back, brown eyes full of sympathy and kindness as he brought a hand to stroke Jeremy's cheek. "Don't be afraid. It's only a thirty minute ride and we'll be completely safe. Trust me."

"Okay," he muttered as Tyler took his hand and led him to the door of the helicopter. A man who looked to be in his late fifties beamed when he saw them and embraced Tyler like a father would a son. "Tyler, m'boy! It's been a while!"

"It has," Tyler chuckled pulling back. "It's good to see you Logan."

"Why don't you come see me more? You used to come see me all the time!" Logan said playfully. "What happened—fiancée keeping you busy?"

"Something like that," Tyler said evasively, his lips quirking into a hint of a smile. "Logan I want you to meet someone." He tugged Jeremy closer to him. "Jeremy, this is Logan. He always flies the helicopter for us."

"And he forgot about me!" Logan pouted. "Well Jeremy, good to meet you son!"

"You too sir," Jeremy smiled back, completely surprised when Logan grabbed him in a bear hug. He patted his back awkwardly before letting him go. Tyler chuckled at the exchange, finding Jeremy all the more appealing.

"Katherine, darling!" he exclaimed as he embraced the smiling woman, kissing her on both cheeks. "Well I know you four have somewhere to be so let's get this show on the road!" He hopped back into the pilot's seat, Tyler chuckling as he followed him. He had always admired the older man and his enthusiasm that was infectious to anyone he came in contact with.

Jeremy took a seat next to him, looking tense as he looked around the helicopter, no doubt making sure it was safe. Tyler grabbed his arm gently and Jeremy jumped at the contact.

"You're going to be fine pet, I won't let anything happen to you," Tyler soothed. "Let Logan strap you in and he'll go over procedures with you."

Jeremy nodded jerkily, feeling a bit comforted by Tyler's words and his hand. Logan came around after a few moments and strapped him in, careful not to make the straps too tight which Jeremy was grateful for. He showed Jeremy the exits and what to do in case of an emergency landing.

"And I'm proud to say that I've never had to land a plane in an emergency!" he chuckled with a smile. "I won't be startin' today with you young man so you have nothing to worry about."

Jeremy smiled and thanked him, feeling a whole lot better after everything was explained to him. He looked over to Tyler and grabbed his hand, smiling when Tyler squeezed back.

* * *

"I checked with all of her friends, they said she never scheduled a mall date with them," Antonio reported. Mikael threw his glasses on the table and frowned.

"Check the mall—check every mall and restaurant in the first two districts. I want her found," he grumbled. Antonio nodded and quickly left the room, the two men on either side of him following quickly.

On the stairs from where he'd been watching, Henrik's eyes widened as he watched them leave. He ran up to his room and closed the door quietly, locating his cell-phone and dialing his sister's number.

"Hey Bekah? You better get home now or else you're going to be in trouble," he spoke quickly, jumping slightly when there was a loud knock on the door and his name being called. He threw his phone under the blankets and called, "Come in!"

He forced a smile to his face as his father walked in, eyeing him suspiciously. "Have you seen your sister at all today?"

"No, I haven't seen her since yesterday. I think she said she was going to the mall or something. Getting a dress for some party," Henrik said as calmly as he could. Mikael stared at him for another moment before turning his back and walking out the room. Henrik started to breathe a sigh of relief when Mikael spoke again.

"If you are hiding something from me Henrik I will find out. I hope that you aren't covering for your sister and that she isn't out doing something she shouldn't be," he said in a cold voice. Henrik shivered as he left, heart pounding furiously in his chest.

* * *

"That wasn't so bad, was it pet?" Tyler asked as they climbed out of the helicopter.

"No Master, it was fine," Jeremy said smiling. The helicopter ride was actually very fun, especially since Tyler and Logan were cracking jokes the whole time.

"How shall we go in?" Katherine asked as she fixed her hair and re-adjusted her corset. "Should we just sneak in? Or would Anna mind if we made an…appearance?"

"It doesn't matter what Anna wants, she's just the host," Tyler smirked. "We're the entertainment."

Katherine laughed; Anna was very big on following protocol. She and Tyler clashed often because of Tyler's inability to follow the rules, especially with being on time. She often gave Katherine a pass on being late because she blamed it on Tyler.

"One day she is going to erase your name from the guest list. You know how she hates that we are always late."

"I'll get Damon to fix it; she has the hots for him," Tyler chuckled as they led their submissives to the glass elevator. "You know we are the only reasons some people attend these parties; they would never come if a couple celebrities weren't there."

"I very much doubt that Tyler. You think too highly of us," Katherine smirked as she pushed the button to go down. "But maybe you are right. I guess we shall find out."

The elevator landed and opened to reveal what Jeremy could only describe as a rave; the room was dark, illuminated by disco balls throughout the room. There was loud techno music that was vibrating off the walls and floors and glow-in-the-dark graffiti was sprayed all over the walls. There were already a ton of people, Jeremy noted nervously and he unconsciously scooted closer to Tyler. When they stepped out of the elevator, Jeremy noticed there were two openings on either side of the elevator, which turned out to be long hallways with four doors on each side; private rooms for people whose scenes bared a little too much for the public eye. To the right was a bar, situated on glow-in-the-dark blue and white tiles and to the left there were couches and tables where most people were lounging. In the very back there were designated spaces where scenes could take place.

Tyler and Katherine approached the podium that stood in front of them, the rest of the party blocked off to them by velvet ropes. Jeremy turned to Caroline, who was looking around with as much awe as he had been a few seconds prior.

"You don't have to participate in any scenes where people can see you right?"

"It's all up to your master but you won't have to worry about that!" Caroline called back. "Master Tyler won't make you do anything you aren't comfortable with."

He nodded, smiling at Tyler when he turned back to them and indicated for them to follow them. They stepped past the velvet ropes that were opened for them and people immediately recognized who was in their midst, flocking over to them and greeting them loudly. Caroline had lowered her head and Jeremy had done the same; if people wanted to talk to either of them, they had to have Tyler's or Katherine's permission. They found a couple of open couches with two cushions on the floor for submissives; Katherine and Caroline offered to bring everyone drinks and left after Tyler ordered a rum and coke and Jeremy ordered a sprite.

"I forget that you aren't legal yet," Tyler said with a smirk. "You're the youngest sub I've had."

"Is this where you would come to find your other submissives?" Jeremy asked. Tyler shook his head.

"This is the ideal place for Dominants to find sumbissives but I've always known mine beforehand. I like to make sure they are comfortable with me before they let me control them." He ran his fingers through Jeremy's hair for reassurance. "How do you feel right now? Is this too overwhelming?"

"No Master, I'm fine," Jeremy said truthfully; there were a lot of people there but there seemed to be more than enough space to where people wouldn't be bumping into him. He felt Tyler's fingers in his hair again and he purred lowly; he loved when he did that.

"Tyler Lockwood!" someone boomed above him, making him jump and look up; a trio of men had approached them. The first man, the one who had said Tyler's name, was a big, rounded man in a black, leather pants and shirt combo with a spiky black collar around his neck. The sight of his shaking belly as he laughed and shook Tyler's hand made Jeremy cringe. He looked past the whale of a man at the two standing behind him; one of them was short and stout, also dressed in all leather. He had a beard and a moustache that covered his entire face and making his mouth disappear from view and brown eyes that seemed warm and kind in the sun. The man on the whale's other side was tall and slender with dirty blonde curls that sat on top his head. Jeremy shivered at the way his cold eyes were lingering on him like a delicious three course meal, licking his lips as if he were ready to take a bite.

"So this is the new sub! I was wondering when you would get a new one!" the man boomed over him. "May I take a look at him?"

Tyler nodded his consent and Jeremy felt chubby fingers lift his chin up; in addition to being big, he was also bald and had a particularly fat mole on his head.

"He's a diamond. Where'd you find him?" the man said as he removed his fingers. Jeremy felt better when Tyler's fingers were back playing with his hair.

"He worked at a restaurant; he crashed my party one night," Tyler said with a chuckle, his fingers never stopping their movement. "He's a pretty one."

"That he is," the bald man agreed. "Keep an eye on him, some goons'll try to snatch 'em away here."

"I will, thanks Maurice," Tyler said as he shook the man's hand again. He nodded politely at the other two before they all sauntered over to the bar. Katherine and Caroline rejoined them at that moment with drinks in hand.

"The line at the bar was unbelievable! I almost had to show my right tit to get the man's attention!" Katherine huffed as she sat down with her Cosmopolitan. Tyler chuckled and sipped his Rum and Coke. "Was that Maurice you were just talking to?"

"Yeah, telling me to look out for Dominants on the prowl," Tyler murmured. He figured he would need to be extra careful in case there were some unlawful Doms out and about tonight.

"I saw Anna at the bar. She is not happy with you," Katherine laughed. "I will have to find Mr. Salvatore and calm her down."

"Where are they? They should be here," Tyler said as he looked around for any sign of the Salvatore brothers; knowing them, they were each busy with a scene at the moment. Damon and Stefan were as popular as them and everyone knew they were down to put on a show.

"They are probably doing a scene. Speaking of which, Caroline are you ready darling?" Katherine purred to the blonde. She giggled and nodded, the excitement showing on her face. Jeremy laughed; the girls definitely had wild, exhibitionist sides he never would have expected.

"Will you come watch us?" Katherine asked as she stood. "I promise you are going to love it."

"Maybe later, I don't want to overwhelm him," Tyler laughed, referring to Jeremy. "You can show me at home; I know you'll want to do it again."

"Of course," Katherine smirked and bent to kiss his cheek. She ran a hand over Jeremy's hair before leading Caroline to the back of the warehouse. Tyler shook his head and leaned down to speak in Jeremy's ear, "Do you want to watch them?"

Jeremy flushed hotly, both from Tyler's breath on his ear and what he was suggesting. He wasn't sure what to expect if he watched them and the thought made his stomach clench uncomfortably. Before he could answer him a shrill voice screamed Tyler's name.

"What the fuck is your problem you inconsiderate asshole!" a woman screeched as she approached them; wearing a red, leather jumpsuit and red, cheetah print shoes, this woman looked like the definition of a Dominatrix. Her brilliant red hair was teased up and tossed wildly about her head, the color of her hair matching the bright red lipstick she wore. Her eyes, darkened with eyeliner and mascara were big and furiously glaring at Tyler. "Could you, for once, show up on time? Why can't you ever show up on time you fucking prick?"

"I had matters to attend to," Tyler replied, sounding amused. "Forgive me if you aren't the center of my world Anna."

"You moron—only you would say some stupid shit like that to me!" she snapped. "I'm going to delete you from the invite list if you keep this shit up!"

"Alright, take me off the list. I'll just host my own play party. I'm sure people will love it, I'll provide them with better drinks."

"You little fucking shit!" she hissed, moving closer and nearly stepping on Jeremy. He quickly pressed himself into the couch near Tyler's leg; this woman was scary.

"Anna, calm down. I'm here now," Tyler said plainly, completely unfazed by her name calling. "Would you want Damon to stop coming to these parties because you uninvited me? You know he only comes because I do."

He smirked at the look of complete shock across her face, chuckling as she sputtered for something to say.

"Whatever Lockwood," she grumbled. "I have people that want to meet you so do me a favor and get your ass in that back room to sign some autographs."

"They can wait," Tyler said waving her off. "I'm spending time with my sub right now."

"Jesus Christ Lockwood!" she snarled. "Get back there _now_! These people came specifically to see you and they want your tips on how to be a good Dominant!"

"Alright! God-damned siren," Tyler grumbled as he stood; he pulled Jeremy up gently by the arm and she finally seemed to realize his presence.

"When the fuck did you get another sub?" she retorted. "You could have told me you had one!"

"I RSVP'd for two people, what the fuck were you thinking?" Tyler asked with a raised eyebrow. She glared at him before her eyes ran over Jeremy; she grabbed Tyler's arm tightly and dragged him to the back room, Jeremy quickly following to keep up.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

Katherine licked her lips as she took a deep breath, a smirk spreading across her lips; Caroline felt herself getting wetter as she watched her mistress, everyone watching them fading into the background as she only held eyes for the brunette in front of her.

"The fairest of them all," she purred as she approached the cross the blonde was strapped to. She grabbed the blonde around the neck and slid her hand down, grabbing her left breast and squeezing gently. She leaned up and licked her neck; Caroline moaned and Katherine squeezed harder.

"You thought I would not find you," she whispered, getting into character. "You thought they could hide you from me." She slid her hand up her submissive's skirt, grinning at how wet she was already. She kissed behind her ear before taking it into her mouth, her hot breath sending shivers down Caroline's spine.

"What am I going to do with you?" her fingers rubbed faster; Caroline bit her lip and thrust her hips up. "The most beautiful girl in the world at my mercy; a princess with no prince to save her."

Caroline groaned at her words, biting her lip hard so she wouldn't start begging; Katherine removed her fingers and stuck them in her mouth, keeping her eyes locked with Caroline as she licked them clean before reaching over for a whip. She knew, with the look that Katherine gave her, that this was just the beginning for them tonight; when they got home, there would be no restrictions.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

"Jesus, thank God that's over," Tyler sighed as he led Jeremy to a couch with a cushion on the floor next to it. "Are you feeling alright, pet?"

"Yes sir," Jeremy murmured as he took his seat. More people seemed to have shown up while they were away and nearly every seat was taken save for the one lounge chair and one cushion on the floor.

"Are you thirsty? Do you want anything from the bar?" he asked. Jeremy nodded, "Water, please sir."

"Alright," Tyler murmured. "Stay here and keep your head down. No one will talk to you this way. I'll keep my eye on you." His fingers briefly went to Jeremy's hair before he left. Jeremy did as he was told and kept his head down, anxiously hoping Tyler would come back soon.

After what felt like two hours but was probably more like twenty minutes, Jeremy rolled his neck to get the cricks out of it; he looked towards the bar and didn't see Tyler in sight. He looked around nervously for any sign of his master but couldn't find him; the anxiousness and panic was starting to rise inside of him and he contemplated getting up and going to find Tyler before his way was blocked by two men—the same two men that had approached him before with Maurice.

"Are you Tyler Lockwood's submissive?" the stout one asked. Jeremy looked between them with wide eyes before nodding.

"He wanted us to fetch you and take you to the room he has prepared for your scene. He said he wanted to try something new tonight."

Jeremy frowned; why wouldn't Tyler let him know beforehand what he wanted to do? "O-Okay, where is he?"

"Follow us, we'll lead you there," the stout bearded man said with a smile. Jeremy paused before standing and following him; the tall creepy man who was leering at him earlier was walking entirely too close behind him and he got the nagging feeling something wasn't right. Tyler always told him what to expect in scenes so he didn't frighten Jeremy but he hadn't mentioned doing a scene tonight; in fact he said he wasn't going to make Jeremy do anything in public. Before he could change his mind about following them they had arrived in the back hallways where the private rooms were located; the stout man knocked on the door and turned to Jeremy once more. "In you go."

Jeremy nodded jerkily, hyper aware of the tall man's presence directly behind him and he turned the handle opening the door. The room was pitch black save for a few red candles that were scattered across the room; a queen sized bed was resting against the back wall with chains and other various items hanging from it and a wooden chair was placed in the center. Jeremy stepped further into the room, wondering what sort of scene this was supposed to be.

"Master?" he called out; no response. Jeremy frowned, his brow furrowing. What was going on?

"Master?" he called out again, his voice depicting his uncertainty. The door was slammed behind him and thick arms went around him, lifting off the ground easily. He cried out in shock as he was hauled over to the bed and thrown down; he knew something wasn't right about this. He looked around for any sign of anyone in the room but it was too dark to see.

"H-Hello?" he asked anxiously.

"Lockwood found himself a good one," a raspy voice praised. "He is absolutely delectable."

* * *

**Reviews are love! :D**


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you lovelies! Your reviews are so encouraging and inspiring and make me update much faster! I encourage you to please keep reviewing! Let me know what you think of the story :)**

**I know some people had a couple of concerns where the next chapter would be heading because of how the last chapter ended. I will tell you this now readers: there are NO rape scenes in this story AT ALL. Sorry if I ruined that for some people but I don't plan on writing any in this story. There might be mentions of it or I might hint at it but I haven't decided on that yet. I know I've written them in the past but truthfully, I don't really like them. I only write them when necessary for the story. So for those of you who were worried that Jeremy would be raped this chapter, you can breathe a sigh of relief because that won't be happening at all! :) Hopefully you guys feel better about the chapter now!**

**Warnings: Mentions/Hints sadomasochism, signs of fear play and sex (the first "vanilla" scene).**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

* * *

"Wh-who are you?" Jeremy asked trying so hard not to sound scared and failing miserably. "Where's my master?"

"Such soft skin," another voice murmured and Jeremy jumped when he felt hands touching him around his neck, feeling his collar. His heart was beating so fast he was surprised they couldn't hear it.

"Tyler?" he whimpered, the distress of being around these invisible men made him start shaking out of fear.

"Lovely voice too," the first man simpered and he stepped into the little light there was; the tall man with the cold glare came into view, smirking at Jeremy and making his hair stand on end.

"Hello again, Jeremy," the man said sweetly. "I've been looking for you all night."

Jeremy swallowed heavily; how the hell did he know who he was? Better question: who the hell was he?

"Maurice was right, you are extraordinarily pretty," he leered. "I could barely restrain myself from touching you in front of your master; that would have been rude of me since I didn't ask permission." He reached a hand out to cup Jeremy's cheek, chuckling at how he flinched away. "Such soft, creamy skin. I can see why he likes you."

Jeremy stared at him petrified, his mind throwing images of what these men were going to do to him like a pitching machine and the only thought he could form was he needed to get out of there _now_.

"Your master is very generous," he started again in a smooth voice that probably melted the hearts of those he was trying to charm but Jeremy thought it made him more frightening. "He loaned you to us for a while so we could enjoy your…assets. He wanted us to see how well you followed orders."

Jeremy stared at him in disbelief; Tyler told him he would never share him with _anyone_. It was written in their contract and Tyler was not a man to renege on his word, especially if it was in writing.

"We're going to try a new scene, I'm rather excited about it," he smirked. "It's a…fantasy I've wanted to play out and you'll be the perfect sub to try it with."

Jeremy didn't realize he had been shaking his head in denial, his voice getting stuck in his throat as these two men—were there more?—prevented him from leaving.

"It is a rather…violent fantasy so I hope you don't think me strange," he continued; he loved the emotion showing on Jeremy's face. "But I think you'll enjoy it as much as I will."

"Red," Jeremy blurted as he scooted away from him. "I don't feel comfortable doing this without my master here." The man laughed cruelly, making Jeremy shiver.

"My dear boy, your safe words don't mean anything to me; we're playing by my rules now. You're at my mercy," he whispered harshly, his smirk turning feral. "Louis, fetch me the gag."

"No!" Jeremy cried as he threw himself over the opposite side of the bed; he hadn't realized a person was standing there and they caught him, easily forcing him back on the bed. He thrashed violently as they tried to grab his legs to hold him steady and he succeeded in kicking him before he leaned his whole weight on Jeremy's legs, effectively pinning him from the waist down. Jeremy cried out, "Red!" in panic and desperation repeatedly as he started hitting him, his mind going into fight or flight mode and his adrenaline making his blood pump ten times faster.

"Don't be difficult about this, pet," the tall man simpered as Louis came around holding the gag in his hand. Jeremy screamed "Red!" as loud as he could before Louis stilled his thrashing head with one hand and shoved the gag in his mouth with another despite being bitten. He lifted his head and Jeremy felt the straps being fastened in place even as his hands flew to the gag to rip it off. Tears had started rolling down his pale cheeks as he realized that nothing was going to stop these men from doing what they wanted to him.

"Tyler!" he screamed desperately through the gag, tripling his efforts of getting free. "Tyler, help me!"

"Tyler can't hear you," the tall man crooned over him, trailing a long, bony finger down his cheek. "Strip him down to his undergarments and tie him to the chair with the rope."

"No!" Jeremy yelled, his voice coming out muffled through the gag as he felt his shoes and shirt being removed. He felt hands at the base of his neck and a second later his collar was gone. He sobbed hysterically when he felt his pants sliding off, barely able to breathe through the gag and his own tears. Once he was down to his boxers he was pulled up from the bed and thrown over a broad set of shoulders. He took this as another opportunity for freedom and he kicked with all his might at the offending body. The man grunted and fell to the ground, dropping Jeremy to his hands and knees; he wasted no time sprinting to the door. He had just reached for the door knob when strong arms wrapped around him again and dragged him backwards; a rope was thrown over him and was pulling him backwards as well. He strained against the offending forces as best he could, the rope digging sharply into his skin but they succeeded in dragging him to the wooden chair. Hands fell heavy on his arms as he was held down while the rope circled him over and over, tightening each time until his back was flush against the back of the chair. He screamed wordlessly and struggled in vain against his captivity but it was too tight to even loosen; they made sure he wouldn't be able to escape.

"There's a good boy," the tall man murmured. Jeremy could hear footsteps approach him and he whimpered, wondering what they were going to do to him. This man looked like a sadist and he was the last person in the world who needed to be subjected to pain.

"Let me see those beautiful eyes," he whispered and on cue, a light was shining in his face. Jeremy's head was forced up and he was staring into a pair of cold, lustful gray eyes. He licked his lips then licked the tears falling from Jeremy's eyes causing more to fall.

"You're a feisty one. I like that," he whispered with a smirk. A sudden pounding on the door made everyone pause.

"This is Dungeon security! Stop your scene and come out of the room now! I repeat, come out of the room now!"

"Oh, such a pity," the tall man sighed in regret, "Our time has been cut short." A few seconds later, the door was thrown open and the lights were turned on, blinding Jeremy momentarily.

"Jeremy!" Tyler cried as he rushed to his sub, Katherine, Caroline, Stefan and Damon behind him. Tears of relief fell from Jeremy's doe-like eyes as Tyler kissed his forehead while tugging at the straps of the gag. "Thank God baby, I'm so sorry!"

"Get these bastards out of my fucking club!" Anna shrieked; four burly black men who looked like linebackers dressed in black from head to toe quickly grabbed the three men who had taken Jeremy and hauled them out the door; Katherine, Caroline, Stefan and Damon had all quickly moved into the room, Katherine and Stefan working on the ropes while Caroline and Damon darted around the room picking up his clothes.

"You pigs are off the fucking guest list for good!" Anna continued shrieking, her wild red hair making her look like an uncontrollable wildfire. "I'm taking this to the police! You know that fear play is fucking illegal here!"

"Oh don't be like that, we were just having a bit of fun" the tall man smirked. Tyler shot up and lunged at him but was pulled back by Stefan. "He is a willing participant in a perfectly good scene," he chuckled.

"Does he look willing to you?" Tyler shouted in outrage. "He's fucking terrified for Christ's sake!"

"It's all part of the scene," he shrugged. "You should have let us have our time. He would have accepted it like the good bottom you trained him to be."

Tyler snarled swear words in fury and Stefan tightened his grip.

"Don't listen to him Tyler," Stefan commanded. "Jeremy needs you right now." Tyler's attention immediately went back to Jeremy and he knelt down in front of him again to help with the ropes.

"Get them out of my sight!" Anna yelled furiously. His attackers were hauled from the room and she slammed the door. "Fucking sons of fucking cunts and whores! What the fuck do they think this is? This isn't a god-damned brothel! Jesus fucking shit!"

"Anna we need scissors," Katherine called as she struggled with a knot in the rope; Stefan had successfully unstrapped and removed the gag from Jeremy's mouth, allowing his gasping sobs to spill from his mouth. Anna pushed Katherine aside and quickly cut the ropes; when they were all cut Jeremy fell into Tyler's waiting arms, burying his face into his neck as he shook with tears and fear.

"You're okay baby, you're safe. I got you," Tyler whispered soothingly, pressing kisses to the brown locks.

"I—I couldn't breathe and—and it was so dark—" Jeremy whimpered. Tyler shushed him gently and kissed his forehead again, reassuring Jeremy and himself that he was okay.

"It's okay Jere," he whispered, hating how shaken his voice sounded. "You're okay. You don't ever have to do that again, I promise."

Everyone watched them sadly for a moment before Anna snapped, "This isn't a fucking TV show, move the fuck on!" and they all left one by one. Anna was the last to leave, turning to Tyler with a rare soft expression. "If he needs anything Tyler, just let me know."

He nodded and she shut the door. He pulled Jeremy against him and scooted back until he hit the wall, Jeremy still shaking in his arms. He kissed his hair again and murmured nonsensical words of comfort, hardly aware of anything other than how relieved he was to have Jeremy in his arms again.

* * *

"We nearly had him but he started screaming…yes I know this looks bad but we can get him back," Fitz closed his grey-eyes in annoyance as he listened to his boss screaming over the phone.

"Right…of course," he hung up the phone and threw it on the leathered seat next to him, growling in frustration. "If he just wouldn't have screamed—!"

"If you hadn't gotten so greedy then you would have succeeded," Elijah said with a smirk. "You weren't supposed to play with him."

"I wanted to know what it was Lockwood saw in him. Can you blame me for wanting a taste of that creamy skin?" Fitz retorted. "Maurice said he was pretty but the word doesn't do him justice in my eyes."

"Don't get any ideas, he's already been sold to the Russian ambassador—I don't think you'll want to negotiate with him. He was adamant in having this one, wired us $2 million the day we put his picture up."

Fitz's eyes widened, "Interesting. What would the Russian ambassador want with someone like him?"

"We don't ask the clients why, we just ask how much they are willing to pay. I personally do not want to know," Elijah said flippantly. "It's my job to negotiate the agreements, not ask questions, though I'm sure you can guess why a Russian ambassador would buy a boy off the black market."

"Yes," Fitz murmured. "Well I'm sure another opportunity will arise where you can get him."

"And when that opportunity _does_ come, you are not allowed near him. You've done more than enough," Elijah snapped. Fitz sighed and nodded.

"Fair enough…though I am starting to wonder if I should, perhaps, place a bid on him myself."

"I don't think you can beat $2 million, if you would like to try, however, be my guest. Mikael won't be opposed to negotiating."

"Do you have any others like him?"

"We have a couple of other young boys, though none have gone for as high as he has," Elijah murmured. The limo turned another corner, making them slide slightly with it.

"Interesting, I'll have to see the selection," Fitz licked his lips. "I wonder where they find them."

"The women and girls are going quickly. One girl we got recently is going for nearly one million to some rich man in the Middle East. Pretty thing," Elijah chuckled. "I don't know where they found them but they are about to make us a fortune."

* * *

Tyler had just helped Jeremy put his shirt back on when there was a light knock at the door. Tyler called for them to come in and two men dressed from head-to-toe in leather walked in; one man was tall and lean, the purple leather ensemble clinging to him like second skin. He wore dark kohl around his eyes and glitter was spread all over his face. The other man was dressed much the same; though he was shorter and stocker, the dark green leather made him fill out more.

"We heard there was a distress call and wanted to make sure everything was okay," the man in purple knelt next to them. "What's your boy's name?"

"Jeremy," Tyler pressed another kiss to Jeremy's head when he leaned into him. "Three men tricked him into coming back here and they had him gagged and bound to a chair even though he screamed the safe word more than once."

"That's horrible!" the man in purple exclaimed. "They will be rightfully punished for this. Do you want to press charges against them? We can arrange for it to be completely private so as not to expose you or your submissive."

"No," Jeremy answered before Tyler could open his mouth. "It's alright—I just want to go home."

"Jeremy, what they did was wrong on so many levels," Tyler murmured, the rage building inside him. "We shouldn't let them get away with this."

"Please Master," Jeremy turned his big brown eyes on him and Tyler felt his resolve crumbling. The young men smiled at them; they could clearly see how much the boy meant to his master.

"We won't press charges for now," Tyler conceded, "but I will definitely be looking into that later. Right now, I think we'll just go home."

"That's probably best," the man in green smiled gently. "Those men were kicked out of the club—I made sure of that. What they did was disrespectful and wrong, especially here. This is a safe haven for subs and Doms alike. That should have never happened here."

"Thank you," Jeremy mumbled his appreciation.

The men escorted them outside where Stefan had been waiting for them; he clapped Tyler on the back and told him he had arranged for his chauffer to take them home.

"Thanks man. Tell Katherine I'll see her at home," Tyler said as he hugged his former Dom. "What about you?"

"I'll have Damon take me. We need to catch up anyway." He turned to Jeremy. "I'm sorry this happened to you. Feel better Jeremy."

"Thank you sir," Jeremy mumbled. Tyler led him through the back entrance and into the limo, telling him where to go. Jeremy leaned against him and sighed in relief, happy to be out of that dark place.

After about an hour the limo pulled into the Lockwood mansion's roundabout driveway. Tyler gently shook Jeremy who had fallen asleep on his shoulder. "Wake up pet, we're home."

Jeremy blinked sleepily and lifted his head. Tyler got out first and took Jeremy's hand, leading him up the steps and through the front door. Elijah was nowhere in sight and Tyler was grateful they wouldn't run into anyone; he and Jeremy needed to be alone.

When they were safely inside Tyler's room and he locked the door, Jeremy walked to the bed and sat on the edge, his legs finally giving way and he buried his face in his hands. Tyler watched him in concern and knelt in front of him.

"Jere," he murmured. "Do you need anything?"

Jeremy shook his head, his voice stuck thickly in his throat. He had no idea how to even feel at this point; he was beyond terrified that those men would come for him again but he felt safer than he had all night now that he was in Tyler's room with Tyler next to him.

"Let's get you comfortable." He bent down and took Jeremy's socks and shoes off. He kissed his cheek tenderly while he gently took his necklace off before unbuttoning his shirt; Jeremy moaned lightly when the fabric fell from his shoulders. Tyler pushed him back to lie on the bed and he popped the top button and unzipped his jeans before sliding them off tenderly. Jeremy shivered when the air hit his bare skin; he watched as Tyler stripped down to his boxers and climbed in next to Jeremy, pulling him into his arms; Jeremy snuggled into his chest and sighed.

"What happened tonight…that was a mistake on my part," Tyler murmured into his hair. "I'm so sorry I put you in that position, pet. I should have never left you alone."

"It's my fault," Jeremy replied hoarsely. "They…they said you had prepared a new scene you had wanted to try and that you had instructed them to take me to you and I believed them. I'm such an idiot."

"No," Tyler said firmly, lifting his chin. "No, Jeremy. Don't ever call yourself that again; this is not your fault, they tricked you. We've been doing this for only a few weeks, you're still new to this."

Jeremy nodded, not able to speak anymore; Tyler kissed his hair again, wondering when he had come to care about Jeremy so much. Tonight had scared him more than he wanted to admit; he had never felt so out of control when he returned with their drinks and Jeremy was gone. He was lucky that when he reported him missing the guards were answering a distress call they had gotten from one of the private rooms. He shuddered inwardly as he remembered the state they found Jeremy; God only knew what those bastards were planning for him. The silence continued and Tyler thought Jeremy had fallen asleep until he lifted his head, his brown eyes wide with lingering fear.

"Thank you. For saving me," he murmured, hand resting on the sculpted chest. Tyler nodded, "Of course. You are my number one priority pet. Your well-being is my only concern."

Jeremy looked at him with an unreadable expression before leaning up and pressing his lips to Tyler's. Though surprised he returned the kiss gently, hand coming to caress his face. Jeremy pressed himself closer and moaned into the kiss, opening his mouth and touching his tongue to Tyler's shyly. The billionaire breathed in deeply, pushing Jeremy to lie back while he rolled on top of him. He pulled back to see what Jeremy was thinking but the pale boy hastily pressed their lips back together, this kiss more desperate than the last; Tyler could feel where this was heading as Jeremy's hands traveled down to his hips, slowly sliding his briefs down. He sat up quickly and removed them before placing hot, open-mouthed kisses on Jeremy's neck and going lower; Jeremy moaned when Tyler took a nipple into his mouth, suckling gently while his hand smoothed his sides. Jeremy sighed as the lips trailed lower, kissing around his naval before pausing just above the waistband of his boxers. His eyes locked with his master's as Tyler slipped them down and threw them across the room.

Tyler grabbed his submissive around his hips, kissing, biting and licking the insides of his thighs before licking his erection and taking it in his mouth. Jeremy's back arched sharply as he moaned out, hands gripping the sheets tightly as Tyler tongue worked wonders on him. His hands went from gripping the sheets to pressing against Tyler's broad shoulders, the pleasure intense.

"Tyler!" he gasped when the tongue circled and flicked quickly across his head, forgetting to call him 'Master' as he was so lost in pleasure. Tyler didn't seem to mind as he kept working Jeremy, bringing a hand to fondle his balls and heightening Jeremy's euphoria until the waves became too intense and they were crashing around him. He released inside that warm cavern, his mouth open in a gasping cry; Tyler's strong hands held down his hips, never letting up until Jeremy collapsed against the bed, breathing heavily. Tyler kissed and licked his way up Jeremy's body capturing his lips with his and letting Jeremy taste his essence on his tongue. He pulled back and rested his head against Jeremy's, his erection digging into the boy's thigh.

"Okay?" Tyler murmured. He wanted to be inside Jeremy so badly it was nearly painful but he wasn't going to force Jeremy into something he wasn't ready for; he had gone through enough tonight.

To his surprise, Jeremy pressed himself against him and pulled him closer mewling and nipping his ear; Tyler rolled his hips down and buried his face in Jeremy's neck moaning wantonly. Jeremy thrust his hips up meeting Tyler thrust for thrust. His cock was starting to rise again; Jeremy lifted his hips again and Tyler's cock was thrust between his balls and his hole. He slowed slightly and Tyler pulled back, sweat covering his forehead.

"We can stop if you need to," Tyler said gently, his eyes darkened with lust. Jeremy shook his head, his doe eyes full of determination and slight fear.

"I want…I want you to," he whispered. "Please, Master."

Tyler's breath caught at how needy Jeremy sounded. "Are you sure Jere?"

"Please," he whispered thrusting his hips up again. Tyler kissed him softly before leaning over and reaching into his nightstand drawer and pulling out a bottle of unscented oil. He poured some over his fingers quickly before finding Jeremy's entrance and circling it before slipping inside. Jeremy hissed at the penetration, moaning as Tyler moved it around to find his prostate. He knew the moment he found it when Jeremy bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut in pleasure. Tyler tapped it for a few moments before pulling the finger out and slipping in two, this time pressing against the bundle of nerves; Jeremy let out a choked groan and bucked his hips, digging his head into the pillow. His breathing became labored as Tyler continued to tease him, his unoccupied hand holding Jeremy's hip down. He added a third finger, smiling slightly at the expressions crossing his face; he was truly beautiful.

"Master!" he whimpered the muscles in his neck straining and his jaw clenched. "Master please!"

"Patience, pet," Tyler murmured as he slowly slipped his fingers out. He poured oil over himself and crawled back up Jeremy's body, kissing him deeply.

"Are you sure?" Tyler asked again. Jeremy nodded, the slight fear still in his eyes but the determination was replaced by desire and another emotion Tyler wasn't ready to name.

"Will it hurt?" he asked anxiously. Tyler kissed his forehead soothingly.

"It will for a moment but I'll be gentle and I'll go slowly."

Jeremy nodded, his hands clutching Tyler's shoulders. Tyler knelt on the bed, spreading Jeremy's legs to either side of him; he thrust his fingers once more before he guided his straining cock to Jeremy's hole, biting his lip at the heat and tightness he felt when he pushed just the tip in. He covered Jeremy once more, kissing him deeply and probing his tongue to play with his as he sank into his submissive's tight heat; he had been fantasizing what it would be like to be inside Jeremy but his fantasies were nothing compared to the real thing.

Jeremy whimpered into his mouth, his body stretching to accommodate Tyler's large size, the burning sensation painful as he continued to sink in. When he was in to the hilt he paused, wanting Jeremy to get used to the feeling. He kissed Jeremy's neck as he fought with all his might to stay still, the tight heat of the virgin boy gripping him like hot silk. Tyler knew then and there that he wanted to be the only person to be allowed to touch Jeremy like this; he wanted his name to be the only one that left those pretty, pink lips.

Jeremy groaned through gritted teeth. Tyler shushed him gently and kissed his neck and his face.

"Hush, it's alright," he murmured sounding like a hypnotist. He shifted a bit and Jeremy moaned in pain. His eyes were squeezed shut as tears slowly leaked out of them. "Jeremy, look at me."

Jeremy shook his head and continued to keen softly.

"Jeremy," Tyler's tone was firmer, "look at me."

He opened his brown eyes wide, full of fear, desire and that underlying emotion. He kissed the man's forehead and stroked his cheek.

"Don't be afraid, I'll be gentle," he whispered as he pulled out to the tip and pushed back in, both of them groaning.

"Ty," Jeremy whispered emotionally, his eyes bright with tears. He reached up and cupped the billionaire's face tenderly, his heart beating madly in his chest when Tyler's eyes met his before he bent and gave Jeremy a lingering kiss. He knew then; his feelings for Tyler were deeper than he thought. He would give Tyler anything, be anything he wanted, do anything for the older man's affection.

Tyler set a steady pace; he thrust into him long and deep, filling him and making Jeremy sigh in his ear. Tyler's hand found Jeremy's and he laced them together, holding tightly as he started moving faster. The burning sensation was lessening and pleasure was starting to overtake his senses; Tyler's free hand dropped to his neglected erection and he started stroking in time with his thrusts.

"Ty!" Jeremy gasped, his nails digging into his back, letting go of Tyler's hand and letting it trail to Tyler's hair when he buried his face in Jeremy's neck. Jeremy's legs went around his back, keeping Tyler inside him as he shifted angles and thrust in deep hitting his spot dead on. Jeremy was crying out from pleasure, his legs shaking as Tyler brought him closer to the edge; he never would have imagined that something could feel so intimate and good and…loving.

Tyler's lips found his once more and he moaned breathlessly into his mouth; the billionaire brought one of Jeremy's legs to rest on his shoulder as he kept angling for that spot over and over and he moved from his lips to suck on his neck, his thrust speeding up and becoming out of sync with his hand pumping but the intensity increased and soon Jeremy was arching his back giving a loud moan as he came again, this time on Tyler's hand and their stomachs. Tyler thrust in twice more before groaning deeply as he released inside Jeremy, letting his leg drop and laying himself on top of him gently careful not to crush him. He could feel Jeremy's harsh breathing against his ear and his heart beat rapidly against his chest as he tried to catch his own breath. When he had recovered he rolled off Jeremy, already missing his warmth and tight, silky hole.

"Are you alright?" he murmured as he raised himself on one elbow looking at the pale boy. Jeremy's head turned to him and he gave a small smile.

"That was…incredible," Jeremy whispered as he brought a hand to cup Tyler's face; his heart felt like it was going to explode with emotion and he felt so unbelievably good his earlier attack was pushed to the back of his mind. "Thank you for being gentle."

"Of course," Tyler muttered as he kissed Jeremy's palm and bending to kiss his lips. Ignoring his mind screaming at him to send Jeremy back to his room he pulled the tired man into his arms, Jeremy's face immediately going into the crook of his neck. His hand ran down the smooth back gently as he closed his eyes; he had no idea what this boy was doing to him but he felt too good to question it.

* * *

Rebekah made sure she wore her poker face as she entered her house later that evening; by the time she had finished talking with Kol it was past sundown and she knew her father would be furious that she hadn't checked in. She walked into the silent, dark house, her heels echoing on the polished marble floors and sighed when it seemed that no one was waiting for her.

"So glad you could make it home."

Rebekah jumped and cursed silently in her head as she turned to face her father. He was sitting in his armchair with a drink in his hand, giving her a stern glare that a parent usually gives their child when they've been naughty.

"Where have you been?" he asked quietly, his voice low and deadly. Rebekah pressed her lips together for a moment before giving her haughtiest facial expression.

"I told you this morning that I went to the Westmont Mall with a couple of friends."

He hummed lowly as he sat his drink down. "That's interesting. I called your friends and they all said they hadn't received an invitation."

"These weren't my usual girlfriends. I met them the other night at the fundraiser Tyler and I attended," Rebekah lied quickly. Mikael eyed her suspiciously.

"Really? Give me their names so I can follow up on your story."

"Seriously father? You think I'm lying to you?" Rebekah asked, sounding offended. "Why do you care so much about what I'm doing?"

"Because if you do _anything_—and I mean _anything_—to screw up this engagement between you and Tyler Lockwood, I will be taking your trust fund away quicker than you can say Fendi," he snapped. "People have snapped photographs of you out with other men Rebekah! They are all over the internet!"

"They're my friends! Am I not allowed to have male friends?" she exclaimed; this whole marriage thing was beginning to irk her nerves and she thought, not for the first time, that she should just break it off herself.

"Not until you are married and even then contact with your male friends will be limited," Mikael snapped standing up. "This isn't a game Rebekah! Lockwood will be watching your every move to find something to break this contract and take our money and I won't have you messing up because you want to run around town with your so-called friends!"

Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times in shock; it sounded like her father just called her a slut. She blinked, trying to keep her tears in until she got to her room.

"It's no wonder that Kol and Klaus ran away—you've become unbearable to live with," she hissed angrily and she whirled to walk upstairs. She felt her arm being yanked back and she was turned around, looking into the furious face of her father.

"Don't ever speak that way to me again you ungrateful child!" he snarled in furry; Rebekah took a step back at his tone. "The next time you decide to lie about where you're going, make sure you have an alibi that sticks!" he shoved her slightly and stormed past her into his office, slamming the door. Rebekah stared at the closed door in shock for a few moments before walking up the darken staircase to her room; she numbly removed her scarf and sunglasses from her head, slipped out her dress and boots and slid under her blankets and stuffed her head in her pillow not being able to hold in her tears any longer. She replayed the long conversation she had with Kol earlier and the confrontation with her father just now and she had a feeling that Kol was onto something with their father's behavior. She didn't understand when her father had become so cold; especially towards the daughter he would always call his little princess. If he was the reason that Klaus disappeared—or was dead—then she didn't see how she could forgive him for any of it.

After a while she sniffed and sat up and rubbed the tears out of her eyes, frowning slightly at the eyeliner and mascara that smeared on her fingers. She didn't want to believe that her father was capable of the things Kol said but she knew her brother wouldn't lie. Plus everything he had said made sense; the random disappearances of people over the past few years, the large amounts of money that her father would suddenly come into, all the secretive phone calls…

She pressed her lips together and lay back down; she would start looking for clues and evidence to help Kol tomorrow. As far as she was concerned, her loyalties were her brothers and if Kol believed that Mikael had something to do with his disappearance then she would pursue the truth to find out what was really happening.

* * *

**Reviews are love! :) Thanks for reading!**


	13. Chapter 13

**I love you guys :) I just thought I'd let you know. Thank you so much for your reviews and continued interest in the story.**

**This chapter looks at the pasts of our favorite couple. A little history never hurts, right? :) Please review and let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

* * *

The next morning saw a very early breakfast with Tyler, Katherine, Damon, and Stefan; Tyler was surprised that it seemed none of them could sleep and they decided to cook their own breakfast at the Lockwood mansion since Tyler didn't want to be too far from Jeremy. Silence had taken over for the first half of the meal, each Dominant lost in their thoughts before Stefan broke it.

"Will you press charges?" he looked in Tyler's direction.

"Of course," Tyler's reply was immediate. "They scared the fuck out of him—it wouldn't surprise me if he never wanted to go to another one of those again."

"It wouldn't surprise me if he _did_ want to go," Damon chimed in as he bit into his roll. "What would surprise me is if you want to take him again."

"Why wouldn't I?" Tyler asked in confusion. Damon gave him a pointed look.

"As scared as Jeremy was, you were more scared when he was gone. I saw the look on your face when we found him Tyler; you were terrified."

Tyler set his fork down and ran a hand through his hair; he wouldn't deny that Damon was right. Seeing Jeremy gagged and bound nearly naked with no way of escaping while three men surrounded him was something that kept him up all night, the question of what would have happened if they hadn't come on time bouncing around in his head. Rationally, he knew he was being foolish dwelling on this but he couldn't seem to let it go.

"I don't know why," he murmured. "It's my fault he ended up there. I shouldn't have left him alone."

"You did not know that would happen," Katherine soothed. "Do not blame yourself. I know that Jeremy does not."

"No, he blames himself," the billionaire sighed heavily and looked across the fields of his land. "Why Jeremy? There were hundreds of submissives there that night, plenty without a collar on them. Why did they want him?"

"Because they saw him alone, because they thought he'd be an easy target. There are plenty of reasons why Tyler and none of them will ever give you a satisfying answer," Stefan finished his eggs and leaned back in his chair. "Do not beat yourself up over this. We all make mistakes as Dominants and we learn from them. Don't punish yourself for something that was out of your power. You couldn't have known what they were planning."

Tyler didn't answer him, continuing to gaze out where the sun was starting to rise; he couldn't explain what he was feeling because it was something he had never felt before. His feelings for Jeremy were the main reason he couldn't sleep and the more he tried to decipher them the more confused and frustrated he became with himself.

With another sigh he stood and left the table without a word, aware of the three pair of eyes watching him leave. When he was gone, Stefan addressed the other two.

"I've never seen him like this," he murmured quietly. "This has him really bent out of shape."

"I think he has feelings for him and he does not know what it means," Katherine ran a hand through her hair. "He is confused, my poor _chérie_."

"He has a point though; why out of the hundreds of submissives they had seen that night would they only remember Jeremy?" Damon's brow furrowed. "I don't think Jeremy was some random target, they picked him specifically and they waited for a moment to strike."

"But what were they planning for? Why go through all the trouble of doing an illegal scene and risk being thrown out of the club?" Stefan replied. "There has to be more to this than we know."

"Then we need to see if Jeremy is in any danger," Katherine placed her napkin on her plate and stood. "Should we tell Tyler?"

"No," the brothers said at the same time. Katherine looked between them with a small, amused smirk but she understood; Tyler would make it his personal mission to find out why and the end result would not be pretty. They knew from experience that the billionaire's violent rage was out of control and would only be worse if he thought that someone he felt strongly for was in trouble.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

Tyler quietly closed the door and slipped out of the sweats he was wearing before climbing in beside Jeremy; on instinct, he drew the boy into his arms, smiling slightly when Jeremy cuddled into him, murmuring something incoherent before sighing in his sleep. His thoughts kept straying back to the night before with the attack and afterwards when Jeremy had given himself to him and he tried to push them to the back of his mind. He didn't want to think about what this meant to him or to the younger boy, he just wanted to lay there and enjoy the warmth of holding another person next to him, one he actually cared about.

After a while the morning sun shone through the window and through his closed eyelids, causing them to open. He tried to roll over but he was trapped by Jeremy's head on his chest, one arm around his torso and one of his legs between his. He smiled as he watched Jeremy sigh before giving a light yawn and open his eyes.

"Good morning," Tyler whispered and Jeremy smiled softly before yawning again.

"Morning," he mumbled and Tyler couldn't resist kissing his forehead. He shifted until he hovered over Jeremy, his eyes intense as he bent his head to press a kiss to his plush lips. He could feel Jeremy's morning wood against his leg and he smirked into the kiss before reaching a hand down to stroke him. Jeremy whimpered and bucked into his hand, opening his mouth to gasp and Tyler's tongue invade his mouth. He worked his hand faster as his lips trailed to his neck and he sucked hard, grinning inwardly when Jeremy's soft cries and moans sounded in his ears. Jeremy panted heavily and he groaned lowly as he came in Tyler's hand, sweat gathering on his forehead. Tyler coated himself with Jeremy's essence and brought Jeremy closer to him, sliding into his entrance in one stroke both of them crying out in ecstasy.

Tyler's eyes locked with Jeremy's as he took him, his thrusts unhurried and gentle; he swallowed Jeremy's whimpers and mewls of pleasure when he pressed their lips together. They moved together, the room full of soft moans and cries as they enjoyed each other's pleasure. Jeremy was breathless, crying out when he climaxed twice before Tyler released deep within him. He fell next to his exhausted submissive and pulled him into his arms, placing a soft kiss to the corner of his eye.

"Sleep," Tyler murmured. Jeremy obeyed and was asleep in seconds, warm and safe in Tyler's strong arms.

When he awoke again Jeremy was still asleep in his embrace. He watched him for a while, noticing how soft his features were in his sleep, how his hair rested against his forehead, his lips pouty and pink, his long, dark eyelashes resting against pale skin. Tyler was sure he hadn't seen anyone more beautiful at the moment. His fingers found their way to Jeremy's hair and he threaded lightly; he was aware it made Jeremy relax but he was surprised to find he liked to do it as much as Jeremy liked to feel it.

He smiled at how he looked so peaceful in sleep; it made Tyler loath to wake him, so he merely watched him. Tyler smiled fondly; Jeremy was his favorite submissive he'd had so far. He was so innocent and sweet that he couldn't help grow fond of him, even staying with him every night they had a session; sometimes they slept in the same bed when they didn't and he just wanted to hold him, which he knew Jeremy appreciated. He used to prefer waking alone until Jeremy, now he couldn't imagine not waking up next to the boy. He frowned as he thought about his future, a future where he was married to his bitch of a fiancée; how was he supposed to just put Jeremy in some apartment and expect him to be okay? He was the one who had taken the boy in, given him a home, a family; he was the first person to touch him intimately, he showed him that not every touch was meant to hurt him and he was supposed to just leave him to fend for himself when Rebekah came? He didn't think he could; he was becoming too attached to Jeremy to just let him go.

"What are you doing to me?" he whispered as Jeremy snuggled further into him. In response Jeremy's nose wrinkled and he sneezed; Tyler chuckled dipping his head to kiss the tip of his nose. He was developing feelings for Jeremy that were far deeper than he had ever experienced before and it was scaring him; the thought of not being with the pale boy scared him even more.

The boy gave a little sigh before his eyes slowly opened, his lips forming a sleepy smile when he saw Tyler. The billionaire's breath caught and he tried to ignore the way Jeremy's smile sent his heart into a frenzy.

"How did you sleep?" Tyler murmured as he caressed Jeremy's cheek.

"Fine, Master," he mumbled, eyes still heavy. Tyler hummed before pressing his lips to Jeremy's, the kiss slow and tender. Tyler's tongue found Jeremy's and they played gently; Jeremy let out a low moan and wrapped his arms around Tyler, trying to get as close as possible and Tyler let him, welcoming the closeness. They kissed for what felt like hours, taking their time to taste each other; Tyler didn't think he'd ever get enough of just kissing him. For once, he didn't feel the burning need to tie his partner to the bed and dominate them. He wanted so much more with Jeremy; the holding, the hugging, kissing him whenever he felt like it. Jeremy's breath hitched and he gasped into his mouth while Tyler moaned. He never felt so at peace as he did in the moments when they were together like this; he didn't think it was possible for anything to feel so natural.

When they finally separated they laid in each other's arms in silence, simply listening to the other's breathing. After what felt like hours of silence, Tyler broke the peaceful quiet.

"Are you hungry?" he asked softly. Jeremy's stomach growled loudly in response, making Tyler chuckle and Jeremy bury his face in his chest in embarrassment.

"Well I guess I have my answer," he laughed as he sat up, smiling at Jeremy's whine of protest. "Go take a shower; I'll pick out some clothes for you. I want to take you somewhere."

"Somewhere like in town?" Jeremy asked in surprise. Tyler chuckled at his tone.

"There's a lot of nice spots in District One that I want to show you. And I want to take you to the best Mexican place in Nivea."

Jeremy smiled widely and nodded before getting out of bed and locating his clothes from the night before, slipping them back on before he left to his room. Tyler hopped in the shower, excited at showing Jeremy what District One had to offer and thinking that he should move some of Jeremy's clothes into his room since he would be sleeping there from now on.

* * *

Jeremy was thoroughly surprised when Tyler led him through the little cantina that was on the side of the huge shopping center in the middle of District Two; he'd been expecting something fancy like the rest of the buildings he'd seen in this golden town. It was small and cozy; there was a bar where patrons were sitting and watching football on the TVs having a great time, people were scattered in booths and at tables enjoying their food and their company while waiters and waitresses dressed in colorful uniforms walked around with trays of chip bowls, salsa and drinks. Their waitress led them to a booth in the back, winking at Tyler as she left; Jeremy suppressed the ugly jealous beast that roared inside him and focused on looking around at the pictures that littered the bright walls.

"I know it's nothing compared to anything I've shown you so far but this is the best place for Mexican food," Tyler said as he picked up the menu. "My father used to bring me in here all the time."

Jeremy saw the small smile that graced Tyler's face at the mention of his father and he couldn't help but wonder about Tyler's past; what was he like when he was younger? What kind of man was his father? And what of his time with Stefan? How did he discover this alternate lifestyle? Instead of asking he picked up his menu and looked through it; it was pointless—Tyler would just order for him—but he needed something to keep him distracted.

"I can tell you want to ask questions," Tyler noted in amusement. Jeremy blushed; he hated how obvious he seemed. "So I'll give you permission to ask me anything you want. I know nearly everything about you so it's only fair I show you that same courtesy."

Jeremy licked his lips, contemplating what he wanted to ask first. He went with the question he'd been dying to know since it was first brought up at dinner the other night. "How did you become Stefan's submissive?"

"Starting with the most loaded question," Tyler chuckled, saying thank you to the waiter who had just placed chips and salsa on their table. He ordered a Sprite and a quesadilla for Jeremy, a Gin and Tonic and tacos for himself before handing the waiter their menus. He watched the kicker from the Jets make a field goal before starting.

"As a child I had always had a bit of an anger problem; a lot of kids would pick on me because I was smaller than most but others would use me for my father's money. They never bothered to really hide it and it made me angry that kids didn't want to be my friend because of _me_. When I was eight, I met Katherine; she and her mother Amelie migrated from Bulgaria and my mother hired her as our housekeeper. She agreed that in turn for her service she would take care of Katherine and send her to the best schools. We became really close; she was a year younger but she was considered smart for her age so we were placed in the same grade at school. Whenever both of my parents were at work Amelie would always watch over us. We were inseparable."

"When we were sixteen we got into some…heavy stuff, to put it mildly; drugs, parties every night at the hottest clubs, wild orgies with people we didn't know. We were both going down our own destructive paths; I was using and dealing meth and ecstasy and it made me crazy. I was insane and heartless; I did a lot of things I would have never thought to do if I wasn't strung out all the time," he said, looking thoughtful. Jeremy watched him in complete shock; he hadn't expected to hear that.

"I dragged Katherine down that path with me and I still feel awful about it to this day even though she doesn't blame me. I got her hooked on ecstasy and it changed her; she started sleeping with nearly all the boys in our grade and the grades above and below us, even with some of the girls. She and her friends would wear these bracelets to show others their level of experience and what they were down to do and so on. Guys started coming to me and asked me to set up something with either Katherine or one of her friends and a couple of them even offered money for the exchange. I proposed the idea to Katherine and she was all for it; I promised to give her and her girls a cut of the money and they agreed to the terms. Her drugs of choice were E, alcohol and sex; if I could get her either—or all—of those things, she was fine. As long as I was making money from selling drugs and from Katherine and her friends, I didn't care about anything else."

Tyler took a sip of his drink, looking at Jeremy's expression of shock. He didn't blame the boy; hearing that someone pimped out their own sister wasn't exactly a topic of normal conversation.

"From the time I had started dealing my father started noticing how insane we were becoming. He tried, so many times, to get through to us but we wouldn't listen; he did everything he could short of locking me in my room but nothing would help. We were too far gone to even consider stopping. One night we were having another screaming match and I told my father he was pathetic, that I wanted nothing to do with him or my mother, that this black hole of a life was the only life I could have. He died the next day; I was so strung out it took a week to sink in that he had passed away. I don't even remember the funeral because I was so doped up," Tyler muttered as he shook his head. Jeremy couldn't resist reaching out a hand and squeezing Tyler's; the billionaire looked at their hands and smiled.

"After the funeral things got worse; when he died I didn't want to feel. The last words I heard him say was 'I don't want you to ruin your life because I love you' and my response to him was 'fuck off.' When I finally sobered up I felt awful that those were the last words my father heard from me and I believed he died thinking that I hated him. I didn't want to feel the pain so I increased my usage; my grades started slipping really bad, some days I didn't go to school because I was so strung out from the night before and sometimes I would wake up in random places with no recollection of how I even got there. One morning I woke up naked next to Katherine and five other people. I thought I fucked my own sister," Tyler laughed mirthlessly.

"My mother and Amelie didn't know what to do with us. One night when Katherine and I came home at five in the morning drunk to the point where we could barely stand she'd had enough; she called my uncle Mason, my dad's brother, and she invited him to come stay with us. My uncle had gone down the same path I did except he was able to get himself out of it. The first few weeks he was at my house he was worse than a prison guard, always asking where we were and who we were with. He checked our rooms all the time and he found all of our stashes but Katherine and I didn't care; we found a way to get our hands on the drugs. Finally Mason told us that he was going to send us to boarding schools on opposite sides of the country; he said that Katherine and I were no good for each other and that being separated would be the best thing for us. That was the last thing either of us wanted; Katherine started crying and apologizing, telling them we could do better and we finally agreed to stop being so destructive and let Mason help us. He introduced us to Damon and Stefan and this whole world we knew nothing about; Mason asked them if they could set us straight and they agreed to take us on. At first I wanted nothing to do with Stefan, the thought of someone controlling me was ridiculous. So as you can imagine, I was spanked quite a lot," he chuckled and Jeremy couldn't help but join in.

"Katherine adapted to being a submissive better than I did but over time, I came to accept it as well. After a couple years they started to teach us how to become Dominants, how we could channel our need to use into something less destructive. It turned into a form of therapy for the both of us; it's a way for us to be in control of our urges to use hardcore drugs. Now I rarely think about them and I wonder what it was about them that ever possessed me to start."

Jeremy gazed at Tyler with sympathy and admiration; Tyler was strong for realizing he was in trouble and he needed help, however late he realized it, it was better than never.

"That's how Stefan became my Dominant. I owe him everything; he saved my life," Tyler murmured. "I guess you can say I love him because he saved me from a dark place…but I never _fell_ in love with him. He's helped me control my…rage that had become dangerous from the drugs; Katherine and Damon however…that's a different story."

Jeremy was silent until their food came minutes later, taking all of this new information in; his heart leaped at the fact that Tyler was never in love with Stefan but it ached at the same time when he heard everything he went through. When their food came Tyler ordered him to eat; he complied, still processing all the new information he just learned.

"So Jeremy, now that I've shared my story with you, I would like it if you returned the favor," Tyler finished his gin. Jeremy watched him in turmoil; while Tyler's story was dark his was…violent.

"Wh-what would you like to know, sir?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"I know everything about you except for your past," Tyler gave him a pointed look. "I know you haven't wanted to speak about it but I won't judge you Jeremy. I don't have the right to judge anyone's past."

Jeremy nodded and was silent for a few moments before taking a deep breath. "I lived in District Three in this nice one-story house with my parents and I had everything any child could have wanted; I had loving parents who spoiled me, friends on the street I loved, a Golden Retriever named Lucy. I was happy, until the night of the car accident, the night everything changed," he murmured sadly.

"I was sent to the orphanage and they put me in a room with three other boys; the rooms all had bunk-beds just so they could squeeze as many kids in a room as allowed. I was a loner and I was smaller than most of the boys so that made me an easy target. Every day I was being beat up by some boy that was bigger or taller than me; they messed with my stuff, taking things I kept from my house and breaking them or throwing them away. I had this bracelet that my father gave me when I was younger; it was supposed to keep me safe and bring me good luck and I loved it more than anything I got to keep. One day I was attacked by the three boys I shared a room with and they took it and ripped it. I never cried so much as I did that day," he trailed off, getting lost in the dark memories of his past. Tyler's brow burrowed as his heart broke for his sub; he could tell that the story only got worse from there.

"I was first adopted when I was eleven and I was so happy. I wanted nothing more than to live in an actual house again, to live with parents and it made it better that I would have siblings this time. I thought everything was going to be okay, I was so wrong," he laughed depreciatingly. "My 'parents'—if I can even call them that—already had two boys living with them and they were always quiet, like they were scared to speak. I had no idea that our parents had beaten them into silence and if they spoke, they were thrown in the closet and left there overnight as punishment. I spent a lot of nights in there and I was already afraid of the dark so that made it worse. My 'father'…he would always beat us with a belt and my 'mother' would slap us and starve us if we disobeyed. I ran away after six months, I couldn't take it," he murmured. "That was the year I met Bonnie at school and she was the only one who didn't think I was a freak. I ran to her house and I stayed with them for a month before the social workers found me and took me back."

Jeremy put his fork down, no longer hungry; Tyler scooted closer in the booth and put his hand on Jeremy's neck gently, fingering his collar. Jeremy kept his eyes on the table but Tyler caught the small smile on his face.

"I was adopted again when I was fifteen and while I was scared that it was going to be a repeat of what happened before, I was hopeful that it would be different. That time, the terrors weren't my parents but my brothers, two of them," he whispered. "Their favorite pastime was making me miserable. Hitting me, kicking me, taking my clothes when I was in the shower, ambushing me and locking me in closets for hours until my screaming finally alerted someone walking by. One time they tied me down, took a knife and made cuts all over my body…said they were practicing to be tattoo artists. My parents knew this was going on but they didn't care, they didn't give a damn about any of us, they just cared about the check that came every month that was supposed to provide for us. So I ran away from there too, in the middle of the night and I spent a couple nights in a park before I got to Bonnie's."

_Christ, he's been through hell_, Tyler thought sadly as he scooted even closer and pressed a kiss to Jeremy's neck, the urge to comfort his sub was stronger than his craving for any drug he'd had.

Jeremy felt a lump forming in his throat but he forced himself to keep talking; he had never shared his entire story to anyone, not even Bonnie knew the extent of the horrors he faced.

"They took me back again and that time Bonnie's mother tried to adopt me but they said she didn't make enough to support two teens. I wouldn't have cared if I slept on the floor at their house; I wanted to live with them more than anything. Instead this kind lady in her forty's adopted me and for a while I was happy; I had two sisters and a brother and I got along with the girls really well. Then…she was murdered by my brother and he kept my two sisters and I hostage for a nearly a week while she was dead upstairs before the police came. I don't know what happened to them, I don't even know if they're okay," he murmured sadly. "After that I was too old for anyone to want to adopt—people usually want kids up until their sixteen—and I just had to stay at the orphanage enduring abuse from those same boys who never left. The week after I turned eighteen I was forced to leave so they could give a ten-year-old my bed; they found me the apartment in District Five and Bonnie's mother put in a good word for me at The Pier. I've been there ever since."

He finally glanced up at Tyler and he noted with a pang that the billionaire wasn't even looking at him. Jeremy pressed his lips together to will his tears away; he hated that he felt so small and insignificant compared to Tyler, that he needed the attention of the older man to feel like he mattered.

"That's my story," he whispered. Tyler's head snapped up and turned Jeremy's head to face him. He stared into his eyes for a few moments before he kissed him softly, his hand cupping the pale boy's cheek tenderly.

"You should have never gone through that," he murmured. "No one deserves that torture, especially you."

Jeremy sniffed, the lump in his throat too big for him to speak. Instead he buried his face into Tyler's neck as his tears starting falling. Tyler held him tightly and kissed his head before calling a waiter over to box their food to go.

* * *

When they made it home, Tyler wordlessly took Jeremy to his—their—bedroom, stripped him naked and gently made love to him over and over again while he kissed away his still falling tears. He couldn't stand the look on Jeremy's face when he told his story, his heart breaking at the tone and his tears making his chest clench painfully.

He smiled hours later as he watched Jeremy sleep next to him completely exhausted and rosy and beautiful; knowing the full extent of what Jeremy had gone through these past years tore at his heartstrings. No one ever moved him the way Jeremy did; he wanted to protect the boy from everything, from everyone. He wanted to keep him locked away in this room where only he could see him, touch him, hold him and never let go.

He eventually got up, not being able to sleep, and went into his office; he pulled up the latest bank statements for his two charities and started the process of transferring $10,000 to each; Jeremy's story broke something inside him and he felt the need to make up for it somehow. He wondered how many other children were in the same situation he was and it compelled him to type in the name of the orphanage into the search engine. When he found the website he found the address and phone number and saved both into his phone; he figured no one knew how corrupt the orphanage was and it was time to pay them a visit.

He ran a hand through his hair; Jeremy's pain-filled face flashed before him again and he shook his head lightly. It made sense now, Jeremy's behavior, his fear of abandonment, his fear of people. The boy was love-deprived and all he wanted was to find a place where he belonged. Instead he was abused, made to think he wasn't worth anyone giving a damn over and let down by a system that was supposed to protect him. Tyler felt sick; Jeremy suffered so much in his teenage years while he had everything he could ever want, including both parents, and he took that for granted. He wanted too much and all Jeremy wanted was a family to make up for the one he lost.

_I'll give him everything, _he sighed heavily and pressed his lips together; he was getting too deep into this. He couldn't afford to catch feelings for someone when his empire was at stake…but every time he thought of finding Jeremy a nice house in District Two his stomach churned, every time Rebekah's name was mentioned, he wished she and her father would disappear. The whole idea of marrying some woman just so he could have heirs was preposterous; why couldn't he just adopt a child and they could take over? If he could save a child or two from a life of misery in that orphanage he would gladly take them in.

His rampant thoughts were interrupted by his cellphone ringing in his bedroom; he shot out of his seat hoping to answer it before it woke Jeremy. He grabbed it off the nightstand and answered quickly and quietly as possible, "Hello?"

"We found them, Ty," Kol voice sounded through the receiver. "We found the thugs that attacked your friend."

* * *

**Reviews are lovee :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**I'm so sorry my lovelies! I've been so busy lately with working and preparing to move to a new city for school again :) but I haven't given up on any of my stories! The updates just may not come as quick. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, alerted, favorited and read this story! I truly appreciate it and I'm happy that this story seems to be a hit. **

**Warnings: Sex of the slash and femslash persuasion, drug use and the plot thickens! Read, review and enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own.**

* * *

Rebekah crept silently down the stairs in the dead of night, pausing every few seconds to listen for any other footsteps in the house. When she reached her father's private office she turned the handle, not surprised to find it locked; her father forbade anyone from going into his private study and often locked it at night in case any of them got nosy.

She pulled out the key that Kol had given her when she had visited him and stuck it in the lock, turning carefully; she smirked when it unlocked and she pushed the door open carefully. She turned the lights to a dim setting, sighing with relief when she saw no one around; sometimes her father would be working late and he would fall asleep while working. Rebekah thought he spent more time in this little room than with their mother when she was lying on her deathbed.

She pushed thoughts of her mother away and quickly sat down at the cherry wood desk; she turned on the sleek, flat screen computer and waited a few moments as it booted up. While waiting she looked on the desk and found a manila envelope on the desk with papers sticking out of it. There was nothing overly suspicious about the envelope, except it had a post-it note with an address she didn't recognize. Frowning, she opened the envelope and pulled out a stack of pictures; in the first twenty or so she flipped through there was a boy with brown hair who looked to be no older than seventeen. Rebekah frowned as she flipped through the pictures, wondering why her father had so many of him; who the hell was he? In some of the pictures there was a blonde girl and eventually she reached pictures of just her without the boy; why would her father have so many pictures of these two people? The amount of pictures in the stack scared her; it seemed as if her father was obsessed with them.

She turned the envelope over and saw two names that she didn't recognize, both of them sounding foreign. She briefly wondered if these were the names of the people in the pictures before the computer's blaring white light shined on her. Her brow scrunched in confusion as she looked at the page on the screen, which was a large picture of the blonde girl from the pictures; one of the names on the post-it note sat next to it and a price of $1,500,000 underneath. Rebekah clicked the minimize button and she was looking at the young boy from the pictures, the other name on the post-it note next to his picture and the price of $2,000,000 and '_sold_'under it. Rebekah searched the entire page for another name but couldn't find one; if she didn't know better, it looked as if these two people were being auctioned off like animals at the local fair. She took out her phone and quickly took a couple pictures of the post-it note with the two names, making a reminder to show Kol what she found.

A sudden ring startled her and she looked at the computer screen again; a small box had popped up with a message from the man on the first page she found.

"_I will be in Atteca May 7__th__, I expect she will be ready by then. Try not to break her in too much."_

Before she could even wonder what that meant she heard footsteps approaching and her father's angry voice as he spoke to someone.

"What do you mean you lost him? And you're just telling me this now? What the hell was that bastard thinking?" he hissed angrily and she panicked when she saw the door unlocking. She quickly grabbed one of the pictures with the boy and girl, turned off the computer monitor and ran to the closet, slipping inside and sliding the door shut as her father opened the door. Her hands were shaking as she watched her father sit down and type on his computer from a little crack in the door.

"Tell Fitz that he's not allowed near the boy when we get him—and make sure you keep your hounds on a leash!" Mikael snarled; Rebekah could see him angrily stuffing the pictures back inside the envelope. "It's your job to bring me the goods; it's my job to break them in. Remember that."

Rebekah shivered when she heard the words; whatever that meant, that didn't sound good at all.

"I'll give your lot your share tomorrow, tell them to be patient," Mikael sighed before he grunted a reply and snapped his phone shut.

"Incompetent greedy bastards," he snarled. He stood after another ten minutes before shutting down the computer and slamming the door on his way out, leaving his daughter in the dark.

* * *

Tyler made sure no paparazzi or reporters were around when he left his house in the dead of night. Dressed in black from head to toe he hopped into his black Lexus and drove to District Five. He parked after an hour by a few trees, making sure his car was well hidden before taking the windy dirt road for about ten minutes to an abandoned warehouse where Matt was waiting outside for him.

"They in there?" Tyler asked gruffly nodding at the old abandoned building. Matt nodded.

"We've been keeping them in line. We wanted to wait until you got here."

Tyler nodded, his black hood over his head making his eyes look sinister as he pushed the door open. His eyes immediately caught the four thugs slumped against the wall looking barely conscious, two of them groaning and holding their heads. His anger immediately spiked and he became acutely aware of the gun in the back of his black sweats.

He stalked over to one of the beaten thugs and easily lifted him off the ground slamming him into the wall.

"So you like beating defenseless people, punk?" Tyler snarled. "Does that get you off?"

"Man I don't know what you're talkin' about!" the man pleaded, letting out a little whimper when Tyler slammed his head against the wall again. "I ain't done nothin!"

"I'll tell you what you did fucker! You and your pathetic goons beat an innocent boy so bad he had a concussion for a week! Does it make you feel powerful to gang up on someone one to four?" Tyler roared as he shook him. Behind him, Kol and Matt shared a look but didn't comment.

"I ain't done nothin, I swear!" he sounded ready to wet his pants and Tyler dropped him in disgust. Kol kicked another one that had started talking and walked to Tyler, "What do you want to do with them?"

"Hold on," Tyler muttered as he looked between the four again. He walked to his left to the man who looked neither scared nor pleased to be there. "You the leader?"

"What's it to you?" the man snapped back. Tyler felt his eyebrow twitch and before he knew it he was thrusting the gun under the man's chin.

"I just want to know one thing," he hissed. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you attack him?" The man looked him in the eyes and had the nerve to smirk at him.

"He looked like an easy piece of ass."

Tyler felt heat and rage like no other consume him and he removed the gun from under his chin. He took a few steps back before raising the gun at the man and shooting him point blank; the man screamed in agony as he keeled over, clutching at his chest. Matt and Kol didn't flinch; their faces were hard as stone while the two goons on his right stared at him in shock.

"I trust you won't have any problem getting rid of the bodies," Tyler said coldly. Matt and Kol shared another look before smirking.

"We've never had a problem before," Kol stated cockily. "We'll make sure they're not found."

"They won't be missed much; all of them have been in and out of jail multiple times. The streets are better off without them," Matt sent one of the goons a sickly smile.

"Good," Tyler smirked before handing the gun to Matt and shrugging out of his sweater. He reached in his pocket and grabbed his father's brass knuckles; after he put them on he looked at the goons, a sadistic smile spreading across his face. "Makes this a lot easier."

* * *

Caroline shouted in pure bliss, throwing her head back as Katherine sucked on her nub, her restraints restricted her movements. Either way she turned she couldn't get away from that incessant tongue rubbing against her and bringing her over the edge. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as she came again, her body starting to shake from the immense pleasure her Mistress was giving her.

"Oh—oh God, Katherine p-please—f-fuck!" the blonde sobbed as she felt the pleasure building inside her again. Down below Katherine smirked; she felt Caroline trying to squeeze her legs closed and she forced them apart at her thighs as she continued licking.

Caroline whimpered before her body convulsed, feeling all sense of awareness leave her as the pleasure became too much; Katherine sat up when Caroline stopped moving. She slinked up her body slowly and cupped her face, wiping the tears that had started leaking out of the corners of her eyes and smirked when she heard Caroline's heavy breathing, indicating that she had passed out.

"You did last longer this time _cheri_," she murmured as she un-cuffed the blonde's arms. She loved this little game they played, testing Caroline to see how long it would take until the pleasure overtook her. The first time Katherine had bound Caroline to the bed and taken her like that the girl had only lasted nine minutes before she was out like a light.

_She has grown some_, Katherine thought fondly as she un-cuffed her ankle before pulling the blankets over the slumbering girl and going into her bathroom; when she was done she quietly shut the door before walking down the hall, smiling when she saw Tyler walking up the stairs but it turned into a frown when she saw red smeared all over his face, neck and clothes.

"Are you alright?" she asked urgently as she rushed to him. Tyler averted his eyes and looked down, not able to meet her eyes; she felt her heart speed up when she realized the red was blood.

"I had…business to take care of," was his evasive reply. Katherine turned his head to look at her.

"Tyler, what did you do?" she breathed as she took his hands which looked as if they were stained red. Tyler shook his head, his eyes still holding fire and anger for whoever had made him angry.

"I slipped Katherine," he muttered. "I know I shouldn't have done it but I couldn't help this...they could have killed him and I couldn't let them get away with it. There was no other option."

She nodded before she kissed his forehead. "Go get clean, let me see them; I shall have Elijah clean them off—"

"Can you do it?" he pleaded. "The less people who know the better; I don't want Jeremy to find out."

"Of course, he will not know. This will stay between us," she held out her hand and he placed the red brass knuckles in her hand. She gave him a small smile before tuning to go back into her room.

* * *

"We're going to try something new today," Tyler murmured as he watched the naked boy cuffed to his bed. After he took a shower and cleaned himself off he knew that the only thing that would really calm him down would be Jeremy. Luckily the boy wasn't hard to find and it only took a few suggestive moments and tender kisses to get Jeremy right where he wanted him. He smirked inwardly; Jeremy may have been sweet and innocent but he was also a teenage boy with nearly insatiable needs.

"Have you ever smoked marijuana Jeremy?" he asked as he concentrated on breaking apart the green plant in his fingers into small enough pieces. Jeremy shook his head, eyes never leaving Tyler's tense form.

"Do you want to know what it's like?" Tyler paused and finally looked at him. "If you don't feel comfortable doing this I won't force you to."

"It's alright Master, I trust you," Jeremy said softly. Tyler's heart leapt into his throat as he gazed into eyes that held complete trust for him.

"This is nothing like what I've told you about my past with drugs; marijuana isn't dangerous like people think. You're going to feel good…like you're floating, I guess you can say."

Jeremy nodded, shifting to get more comfortable; he already felt like he could float every time he was in this bed, he couldn't imagine how this would enhance his feelings. He watched as Tyler took the lighter and pressed down on the greens lightly before scooting closer to Jeremy and placing the bong in his lap. "Are you ready, pet?"

Jeremy nodded, a little worried about what to expect considering what Tyler had told him about his past but he still trusted the man not to hurt him. He watched as Tyler pressed his lips inside the wide opening and lit the broken pieces of the plant in the bowl piece; Jeremy could see the white smoke starting to cloud the clear bong before Tyler lifted the bowl piece out and inhaled it, holding it in for a moment or two before blowing upward. He coughed a little and shook his head as he blinked at the ceiling.

"Damon was right," he murmured as he lit the greens in the bowl piece again. Jeremy watched as he inhaled and blew out into the room again, the smoke immediately spreading to fill every corner of the room. As Tyler repeated his actions over and over the room started to smell like marijuana and become hazy; Jeremy felt his mind starting to cloud and wander and he blinked as Tyler came closer to him, knocking him slightly out of his stupor.

"It's your turn," he murmured as he lit the bong once more and inhaled the thick white smoke; this time, instead of blowing into the room he pressed his lips to Jeremy's and the boy took the smoke into his mouth. He coughed when he took too much and pulled away, blowing the smoke he had in his mouth to the side of him. Tyler chuckled next to him.

"Sorry, that was a lot," he lit the bong, took in more smoke and kissed Jeremy again. This time he took in all the smoke and let it out when Tyler told him to.

Jeremy felt his head starting to get foggy and his mouth going dry as he watched Tyler blow more smoke into the air; he felt like he was lying on a bed of clouds, the smoke of the marijuana clouding his vision and his mind. He felt as if he were breathless as he watched Tyler blow smoke out in the shape of perfect O's.

"This is a good way to relieve stress," Tyler murmured as he packed the bowl piece once more. "And I thought you would enjoy the experience if you did it with someone who would take care of you," he added with a husky whisper and a predatory gleam in his eye. Jeremy nodded, the movement feeling enhanced to him somehow. The cuffs around his wrists felt like cushions and his eyes felt a mix between being really heavy and very open.

Tyler repacked the piece and took more hits, blowing more smoke into the air and soon the room was clouded in a hazy fog; Jeremy felt like he was flying higher and higher with every breath he took as he inhaled more of the drug into his system. He could feel blood rushing to his nether regions and shuddered on the bed, not at all bothered by his nudity or Tyler's lack of.

"How do you feel Jeremy?" Tyler murmured as he set the bong aside after what felt like hours.

"I feel…good," he smiled lazily at Tyler. "I feel really, really good…like I'm floating."

Tyler smirked, pulling his shirt over his head before taking his jeans and sliding them off his legs to sit in a pile on the floor. When he was completely naked his slowly crawled over Jeremy and licked his neck, smirking when Jeremy's head rolled to the opposite side to give him more access. His hands slid down the boy's pale sides, wondering how Jeremy's skin was so soft or if it had always been that way. He sat up and turned Jeremy's head to him, using two fingers to gently open one of his eyes more, which were slightly red before trailing the hand down his face and to his chest. Jeremy's breathing was labored, his erection standing proudly and begging for attention.

"So beautiful," Tyler whispered as he rubbed Jeremy's cheek tenderly with his thumb. Jeremy's eyes met his and he shivered at the intensity those eyes held; he reached down and pressed their lips together gently, nipping lightly at his bottom lip. When he pulled back Jeremy was panting, his eyes unfocused and dazed from the weed and from Tyler. He felt pleasant shivers go through him when Tyler's hands were touching him, sliding down his stomach and over his hips, reaching his thighs but never where he wanted to be touched the most. The smooth hands started massaging the insides of his thighs and he whined, making the billionaire laugh; he quickly found the lube and he coated himself before he covered Jeremy and thrust forward, biting his lip to keep from crying out at how _good_ it felt, the moan Jeremy let out when he was all the way in sounding like music to his ears.

"You're so tight. Always so tight," Tyler grunted as Jeremy proved this further by tightening around him. He licked his neck sensually and Jeremy whimpered, wrapping his legs around him and squeezing. Tyler moaned at the heat and the smoke and the haze that surrounded them and he thought he never felt _so_ good as he did that moment. He lost himself in Jeremy, letting the boy consume him; he could hear Jeremy panting underneath him, moaning every time he thrust into him and he didn't think he had heard anything more erotic in his life.

"Tyler," Jeremy sighed his name in his ear and it spurred him on. He loved when Jeremy called him 'sir' but hearing his name fall so breathlessly from his mouth was making shivers roll down his spine and he briefly wondered what it would be like to have this all the time.

_You can_, his mind murmured but he ignored it; he would worry about it later, only because he couldn't think about anything beyond being inside Jeremy at the moment.

Jeremy desperately wished his wrists weren't cuffed to the bed so he could touch Tyler; he knew that the drug was making him loose his inhibitions and everything seemed so much _better_ than it did before. His emotions were starting to get the best of him and he felt bold enough to tell Tyler how he felt about him at that moment.

"Tyler," he moaned out when the billionaire thrust into him again. "I—I lo—"

The rest of his words were swallowed when Tyler crashed their lips together; he sped up his movements and Jeremy couldn't catch his breath long enough to tell him anything. He released first with a high moan without even needing to be touched, his cum splashing between his and Tyler's bodies in thick ropes. Tyler thrust in once more, Jeremy clenched around him and he came hard; he bit his lip to keep from screaming as he rode out the waves before he collapsed on Jeremy's panting body. He blinked to clear some of the haze from his head as he rolled off the quivering body trying desperately to catch his breath.

Jeremy was panting harshly next to him, already missing his master's warmth. He watched as Tyler sat up when he could move and rolled over and gently removed his cuffs, kissing each wrist before he let them go.

"You okay Jere?" he murmured as he cupped the boy's head gently and kissed his hair. Jeremy nodded and pressed a tender kiss to his master's lips before cuddling closer. "How do you feel now?"

"Tired," he mumbled, followed by a yawn. "Is it supposed to make you sleepy?"

"Sometimes. Some people use it to cure their insomnia," he used his two fingers to check Jeremy's eyes again and he saw that they had become more red and heavier than before.

"But I feel amazing," Jeremy's smile made his heart pound. "You're amazing."

Tyler chuckled as pulled the blankets back for them, "I wouldn't say that."

"You're perfect," Jeremy continued as he gazed at Tyler with his big, loving eyes full of admiration. "You're so kind and gentle and you've been so good to me, you've saved me twice…I don't know what I would do without you," Jeremy whispered as he caressed Tyler's face; Tyler caught his hand and held it in place. "I owe you everything."

"You don't owe me Jeremy, never think that you owe me anything," he whispered. Jeremy smiled sleepily at him before kissing his cheek and nuzzling his neck, murmuring something that sounded like 'love you' before falling asleep. Tyler kissed his hair again and buried his nose in it, emotions coursing through him rapidly. It didn't surprise him that Jeremy believed he owed him something, what did surprise him was how he felt about Jeremy's statement. Jeremy didn't owe him anything at all, _he_ owed Jeremy for saving him from his loneliness devouring him, which made him wonder once again how he was supposed to let Jeremy go.

Jeremy's arm tightened around him and he smiled, pushing the thoughts away and enjoying the warmth.

* * *

Matt blinked when the door to his and Kol's office was thrown open and a somewhat flustered Rebekah stood in the doorway.

"Where's Kol?" she asked urgently. "I have something he has to see, _now_."

"He's in the field with another officer. What is it?" Matt's brow furrowed and she briefly forgot when she was going to say.

"I…I found something…in my father's study that he needs to see," she managed to get out, smoothing out her grey pencil skirt to have a reason to hide her flushed face.

"If you want to leave it on his desk, he'll get it," Matt suppressed the urge to smirk at her. "He won't be back for a while and I know that a woman of your…status is always busy."

"No," she snapped, suddenly feeling angry. "I want to talk to him in person so I'll wait here if you don't mind."

"Make yourself at home," Matt couldn't help the smirk that graced his face as she walked to the plush chair in front of Kol's desk and sat, placing her purse delicately on his desk and crossing her leg. He licked his lips before shaking his head slightly and sitting down once more; he knew he wouldn't be able to concentrate with the poised blonde sitting mere feet away from him so he pretended to be busy by grabbing a case file from the pile on his desk and flipping through it. There was something about Kol's sister that made him hot and bothered, which was strange him because he usually couldn't stand uptight women like her. But Rebekah was different to him for reasons he couldn't explain. He wanted to know more about her but he was afraid Kol would kill him if he dared asked; though he couldn't see them as much as he wanted, he was still very protective over his two younger siblings.

The silence overtook them; a couple times Matt would look up and catch Rebekah looking at him, looking away flushed when their eyes met. After ten minutes of this Matt figured that if he wanted to know more about this woman than he needed to just go for it. But what do you say to a socialite? Surely there was nothing he had to say that she would be impressed with.

"How long have you worked with my brother?" she asked. Matt breathed an inward sigh of relief.

"Almost three years. We were in the academy together, we were roommates," Matt turned his baby-blue eyes to her. "Your father had just kicked him out when he joined and I told him I had an extra room."

"That was nice of you," she said softly. "I always did wonder where he went when he…when father made him leave. Henrick, my younger brother, was so upset—I had never seen him cry so much, not even when he was younger."

Matt didn't like the forlorn look in her eyes. "He talks about you two all the time. He always tells me he wishes he could have raised you instead of your father."

"I think I would have preferred that as well," she sighed. "When Finn and mother died and Elijah left to work for the Lockwood's…my father changed. He used to be kind and loving and then he just…changed. He was always cruel to Klaus for reasons I can't even remember and he would only talk to Kol about it…and then he was gone and then Kol and now…now it's just Henrick and I and he'll be gone soon and father is forcing me into this marriage with Tyler and _neither_ of us wants this yet we have no choice," she shook her head with a laugh and covered her face for a brief moment before running her hands through her hair, wondering how the hell her life became the mess that it was.

"Sorry," she laughed lightly. "You didn't need to hear my life story…I suppose you think me ungrateful and spoiled for complaining about my life while so many others wish they could be in my position."

"I don't. I think you're nothing like the others," Matt said honestly. "You seem to care about something beyond what everyone was wearing at the fundraiser last weekend. It's refreshing."

"Thank you," she laughed, her heart rate speeding up at his words. "I'm glad to hear that at least someone doesn't see me that way. I know that's what the media pins me out to be but I suppose that's my fault for not showing them otherwise."

"I don't believe everything I see or read. Sometimes you have to get to know someone for yourself rather than letting people make the decision of your opinion of them for you."

She smiled at him and he returned it, letting the silence take over for a few moments.

"So you and Tyler Lockwood? How'd that happen?" he asked as he leaned back in his chair. It bummed him slightly that she was already spoken for but he still wanted to know her. Rebekah snorted and did the same.

"It's ridiculous what my father will do for money and respect," she sighed. "I told him that Tyler and I weren't a good match but he insisted on getting Carol Lockwood to agree to the terms of the contract. He thinks it will be 'beneficial' for Tyler and I if we were to combine our family's wealth and at first I was on board with it because I wanted more money and power but now…I'm not sure anymore," she murmured. "I thought that if I were to have all that money and the prestige that comes with Tyler's last name that I would be happy. Now that I see what it's done to my father and to my family…I'm scared I'm going to end up cold like him."

"You could never end up that heartless and cruel…you've got a big heart Rebekah. I don't think you could ever be your father," Matt said softly. "Everything will work out for you, one way or another you'll be happy."

Rebekah's heart thumped hard in her chest when their eyes met; she'd had plenty of boyfriends and admirers in her life but _none_ of them made her feel as…warm as this. Then again, she usually didn't have deep conversations like this with any of them. Rebekah could see that he was a good man, a hard worker who was determined to see the best in everyone and dedicated to protecting the people of his city. He was the kind of man that every woman was looking for; he fell right into her lap and she couldn't even do anything about it, lest her father or Tyler try to take her money away.

Before she could comment a voice came through on his walkie-talkie, "All units to 315 Brighton Street in District Five. Officers being shot at, I repeat, officers being shot at."

"Duty calls," he sighed as he stood. Rebekah watched as he opened a drawer and pulled out his gun, reminding herself of her status and her position in society and how _inappropriate _it was for her to even _think_ of having feeling for someone other than her soon-to-be husband, though she had no feelings for him other than annoyance.

"Is Kol out there?" she asked worriedly, relieved when the blond shook his head.

"He's answering a domestic abuse call in District Two, He'll be back soon." She nodded, watching him walk to the door.

"Be careful," she blurted when he opened the door, face flushing slightly.

"I always am, Ms. Mikaelson. I appreciate your concern." The smile he threw her on his way out made her insides sing happily before turning into an elegant pile of goo.

* * *

"Damon, Stefan, to what do I owe the honor?" Anna asked as she leaned in the doorway of her multi-million dollar mansion looking the brothers up and down. Damon smirked and licked his lips, knowing her eyes would be watching his every move.

"We need to see the footage and the guest list from the last play party," Stefan spoke as if he were making a business deal. "We need to check a couple of things."

"Like what?" she snapped. "I don't have time for this bullshit today."

"Tyler asked us to get the names of the men who kidnapped Jeremy so he could file a complaint, he was just too busy to come by," Damon answered smoothly. "We won't take long."

She sighed and stepped aside to let them in, "Go fast, I have to go to work in an hour and if I'm late again my boss will have my ass."

"Of course," Stefan gave her a grateful smile before following her into a large room with three expensive desks and multiple couches and bookshelves.

"Ben!" Anna screamed at the male sitting at one of the computers, large headphones covering his ears sitting atop his thick, brown hair. He didn't acknowledge their presence in the room and kept bobbing his head up and down to a beat only he could hear. Anna went around the desk and punched his shoulder.

"What the hell?" he snapped as he ripped the headphones away. "What's your problem?"

"The Salvatores need everything you got from the last play party," she snapped. "You saved everything like I fucking told you to, right?"

"Yeah," he looked over at the brothers and nodded in their direction, which they politely returned. "Why do they need them?"

"None of your fucking business! Just pull it up!" she rolled her eyes at him before walking past the Salvatores and out the door.

"That woman is _always_ on her fucking period," Ben grumbled as he pulled up the tapes from the party. He looked back at the brothers still standing before him and he frowned, "Why do you need them?"

"Not that it's any of your business," Damon started with a smirk. "But we need to check something."

"Do you have the names of everyone on the guest list from that night? Even the people who were kicked out the club?" Stefan cut in.

"Yeah, there were a few people kicked out—there were three guys that I remember getting thrown out because they took Tyler Lockwood's submissive without his permission. That guy is scary as fuck when he's angry, I'd hate to piss him off."

Stefan and Damon shared a look that Ben missed; he really had no idea just _how_ scary Tyler could be.

"Your guys that were thrown out were Fitz Backer, Alonzo Rodriguez and Goro Tai…they look creepy as fuck. Poor kid was distraught when Mac and I got there."

"I wonder why," Damon hummed. Stefan rolled his eyes at him before going around the side to see the screen.

"Damon, he was with Maurice that night," Stefan's brow furrowed. "They came in a huge group with Mikael's associates."

"That can't be a coincidence," Damon growled. "I knew this had something to do with him. He has to know about Jeremy—none of his associates would hide anything from him, they would have told him when the party was."

"But what does he want with Jeremy?" Stefan scrolled through the footage of the different cameras, watching as Fitz and the two other men slinked into a back room and closed the door moments before Jeremy was led back there. "Do you have the tapes from the recordings in the rooms?"

Ben nodded and quickly located the MP3 files from the ten different rooms; they scrolled through them, listening to each tape for a couple of moments until they found the one they were looking for. They listened to the men's voices and Jeremy screaming the safe word before they stopped it, knowing how it ended.

"That's Garson's voice in the room, he works for Mikael," Damon pointed to a man surrounded in a group on the screen. "This definitely isn't a coincidence. How the hell did he find out?"

"You're right," Stefan sighed after a moment of contemplation as he watched the group looking around. "What should we do?"

"Who's Mikael?" Ben asked in confusion; Damon rolled his eyes at him.

"No one you need to know. Thanks for your help Bob," he straightened his leather jacket as he stood straight. "Maybe it's time we pay the shady bastard a visit to see what he's up too."

"And say what? We think he has something to do with Jeremy's attack?" Stefan snorted. "We need to do this carefully; we don't have solid proof and he could still be after Jeremy."

"Why don't you just tell Lockwood that someone is after his boy and he can confront him?" Ben responded. Damon slapped the back of his head, ignoring his yelp and his glare.

"Tyler doesn't need to know _anything_," he said pointedly. "Because it's like you said—he's 'scary as fuck' when he's angry."

"Don't repeat any of this…especially to Anna," Stefan stared Ben in the eyes. "Everything you heard just now stays in this room, understand?"

"Perfectly," Ben stuttered out. "My lips are sealed."

"Good," Stefan turned back to the screen. "Let's find his associates first."

* * *

**Reviews are love!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Thank you for all the reviews! You guys are the best and I love each and every one of you! Sorry for the long wait but I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please review!**

**Warnings: Language, slash, sex and a little bit of torture. Nothing to explicit.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

* * *

Tyler opened one eye with a frown in the middle of the night when he felt Jeremy shaking; he sat up and brought the boy into his arms, ready to soothe him when he woke from his nightmare. He had learned from the first couple of time they had gone through this that he couldn't wake Jeremy out of the nightmare; he had to snap himself out of it.

"It's okay, you're safe," Tyler whispered as he rocked him from side to side when his whimpers started. Jeremy's hands balled into fists and he let out a pained moan.

"Please—please don't—!" he begged as he started thrashing. "I'll—I'll do anything—please!"

Tyler pressed his lips to Jeremy's hairline, his heart breaking like it did every time he heard Jeremy pleading and begging to his imaginary assailants; Jeremy had told him he had really bad nightmares of his time in the orphanage but these had started happening after the incident a couple weeks ago.

"Tyler!" he screamed before he jerked violently and his eyes shot open, gasping sobs leaving his chest as he blinked and looked around dazedly. Tyler had his arms around him tightly still murmuring nothings in his ear; Jeremy turned his face into his neck wrapping his arms around Tyler as tight as he could.

"You're safe, I'm right here," he pressed gentle kisses to Jeremy's head, his hand still rubbing his back methodically. "I won't let anything happen to you."

Jeremy said nothing, letting Tyler rock him until he felt calm enough; he pulled back when his sobs subsided and he wiped the rest of the tears off his face.

"Sorry," he mumbled in shame. Tyler lifted his chin and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

"Don't be. I know you can't help it."

Jeremy looked down for a moment before crawling out of the bed; Tyler watched as he pushed the door open to the balcony and closed it gently before laying on one of the lounges. He wasn't sure if he was meant to follow or not, this was the first time after his nightmares that Jeremy shied away from his comfort.

He pressed his lips together, a battle raging in his head; what was the dream about? Was it about him? Was that why Jeremy didn't seem to be able to look at him? He snorted as he caught himself and he shook his head; what the hell was his problem? Since when did he obsess over little things like this? If Jeremy wanted space then he should give him space, right? Then why did he feel as if he needed to be near him?

_You know why_, the snide voice in his head commented and he snorted again; he was starting to go mad. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair; he knew what he wanted to do but he was scared that his actions would be rejected. He snorted again; since when was he afraid of rejection? He was Tyler Lockwood, no one rejected him! Well…except for Jeremy but he was becoming the exception to every rule.

Before he could dwell on what that last thought meant he slipped out of bed and padded downstairs to make them each a cup of tea; he could tell they wouldn't be going back to sleep tonight and talking always went better when tea was present, in his experience.

When he returned with the mugs Jeremy was still curled in the chase lounge looking over the city; he set the mugs on the little stone table next to the lounge and smiled when Jeremy turned in his direction.

"I brought you some tea, I thought it would help." He wondered why he felt bashful all of a sudden.

"Thank you Master," he replied softly as he picked up one of the mugs, eyes closing when the green tea slid down his throat.

"Would you like to be alone?" The billionaire's stomach twisted uncomfortably when he asked. It seemed to take Jeremy an eternity to answer.

"Please stay," he spoke so softly Tyler nearly missed it. He nodded and slid onto the lounge behind Jeremy, maneuvering them until he was comfortable between Tyler's legs with his head resting on his shoulder. Tyler pressed his lips to his forehead again before drinking his tea; he wouldn't ask about the dream, he would wait until Jeremy was ready to talk about it. They sat in silence for hours, drinking tea and looking at the beautiful scene the city made, the weather warm enough for them to enjoy the outdoors with only their pajama bottoms on.

"It was about you," Jeremy's soft voice woke Tyler from his light slumber. "You were…the boys I lived with in the orphanage had you tied to a chair and they were torturing you."

"You know that would never happen," Tyler assured. "What were their names?"

"Paul, Ryan and Jared," he sighed again. "I'm sure they don't even remember me but they're always going to haunt me."

"Only if you let them," Tyler hummed, sipping the last of his tea; he didn't need last names, he already knew he could find them with that little bit of information. He briefly wondered if he should take Katherine up on her suggestion and have Jeremy talk to a therapist about his life in the orphanage. "You're in a better place now. They can't hurt you here."

"I know, it's just hard to let it go," he whispered. "The day I was kicked out of the orphanage was probably the best day of my life," he gave a little laugh. "I was so happy that they wouldn't hurt me anymore that I didn't even realize until I was in the apartment that I would have to fend for myself."

Tyler's arms wrapped tighter around him unconsciously. Jeremy sighed and placed his mug on the table, letting silence take over once more.

"Where will you send me?" he asked quietly, not meeting his eyes. Tyler's brow furrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"When you…when you have to marry Rebekah, you said I would have to leave. Where will I go?"

Tyler felt all words leave him at the question; he hadn't even realized that it was already April and soon he would have to find a new home for Jeremy. The thought of Jeremy all alone in some apartment made his stomach twist into uncomfortable knots; could he really just abandon him like that?

"I don't know, I haven't thought about it," he decided to answer truthfully. "When the time gets closer we can look at some and you can choose one you like."

"Okay," Jeremy forced a smile to his face to cover the hurt he felt; he snuggled back into Tyler's chest so he couldn't see his face. Of _course_ Tyler was still going through with the marriage, why would he change his plans for him? He had nothing to offer him; he was just another charity case he felt sorry for. Tyler was rich, Tyler had everyone eating out of the palm of his hand, Tyler could have anyone he wanted and who was he? Just the poor, pathetic fool who fell in love with him like everyone else. His eyes slowly welled with tears and a lump started burning in the back of his throat. He prayed Tyler didn't see his mood change; that was the last thing he needed.

"Don't worry about the apartment, I'll take care of it," Tyler murmured, hoping that would end the conversation. Because he wasn't ready to face a life without Jeremy yet…at this point, he wasn't sure if he could.

He lifted Jeremy's chin and pressed their lips together to distract himself from his thoughts; he didn't notice the tear falling down the side of Jeremy's face or the hooded figure hiding in the bushes on the grounds holding a black camera with a huge lens, snapping pictures every second.

* * *

"The Salvatores! To what do I owe the honor of your beloved presence to my humble abode?" Louis Garson gave the two brothers a sickly smile. Damon and Stefan shared a look.

"You want to do this your way?" Stefan asked.

"I'd be thrilled to," Damon smirked before he grabbed the balding man by his bathrobe and shoved him back in the house against the brick wall. Louis cried out but before he could alert anyone Damon took the gun out of his pants and shoved it into the man's mouth. Stefan walked into the house and shut the door quietly, locking it.

"You dirty, scheming bastard," Damon hissed. "What the hell were you doing at that party Garson? As much of a fucking creep as you are, that's not your scene."

Louis' terrified voice was muffled from the gun as he struggled; Damon punched him in the gut and cocked the gun, getting ready to shoot.

"I know you were in that room with Jeremy, I could hear your fucking voice as he told you to stop over and over but did you, you sorry sack of shit? No, you kept going," Damon smirked at his terrified face. "How about we replay that scene, hmm? How about we make you the bitch tied to the chair and pretend the word 'no' doesn't exist!"

Louis' begging and pleading increased, his face turning red and his eyes were watering; Stefan sighed at the sight and figured that they should at least get some answers out of the man before they tortured him anymore.

"Enough Damon, I think that's good for now. You don't want him to clam up for the scene, do you?"

Damon smiled evilly before dropping the man and putting his gun away; he quickly picked up the man again and dragged him through the house into the sitting room before throwing him in a green armchair.

"You have five seconds to explain," Stefan sat down across from him, pulling out a silver gun of his own. "Go."

"He just told me to get the boy!" Garson whimpered. "We were supposed to just get the boy and get out of there! It was Fitz's idea to do the scene!"

"Mikael told you to do this?"

"Yes! He didn't say why!"

"I think you're lying," Stefan hissed, looking towards Damon. Before Garson could even react Damon had whipped out his gun and shot it at the man's foot. He wailed in pain and tried to grab his foot but Damon pulled him back and held him firmly.

"We'll keep shooting if you keep lying. We have plenty of bullets," Stefan leaned into the couch and made himself comfortable. "We could even save some for your fiancée and your daughter when they come home."

"Please!" he gasped in pain as the wound bled heavily. "I don't know what he wants with him, I swear!"

"All I hear are lies, lies, lies!" Another shot was fired and another ear-splitting scream was heard as his face turned red with pain; Damon had taken out the kneecap of his other leg.

"Let's try again Louis," Damon pointed the gun at his other knee. "What does Mikael want with Jeremy?"

"A deal! He said something about a deal but that's all I know! He doesn't tell us what he's doing, he just gives us orders and we do it!"

"And you never ask why he wants you to kidnap people?" Stefan demanded harshly. "You've never once questioned what he wants with them?"

"I don't want to know! I just want to keep my fucking job!" Louis screamed, the blood from his foot and his knee starting to pool on the wooden floor. "I don't know why he wants him! You have to believe me!"

"You're starting to disappoint me, Louis," Damon gave a mock sigh. "I guess if you don't know anything then there's no reason to keep you alive."

"Wait, wait, there was—there was a man! He said that he was sold to a really wealthy man!"

"What do you mean sold? Sold to who?" Damon pressed the gun into his knee, keeping his grip firm against the man's shoulder. "How much money did he give him? Don't stop talking now."

"I don't know! Some man from the Middle East or somewhere! The man wanted a new bed-warmer and he paid millions for him! I don't know anything beyond that!"

"That sick bastard," Stefan whispered. He glared at the terrified man in the chair for a moment before he stalked over to him and punched him in the nose, breaking it.

"You should be grateful that it was Damon and I who came instead of Tyler. He's on the hunt for blood and he wouldn't hesitate to kill you," Stefan snarled angrily. "Tell anyone we were here and I will personally escort him to your front door."

He gave Damon another and the darker-haired brother smirked before pulling the trigger again; Garson screamed in pain and fell to the ground when Damon shoved him out the chair. Damon circled around the chair and spat on the man before re-holstering his gun and following his brother out of the house.

* * *

"Bekah? How does Mikael not catch you sneaking out?" Kol asked in exasperation as his sister, once again, closed the door to his office. "Do you _want_ to raise attention to yourself?"

"I have to show you this; it was in father's study. I came by a couple days ago but you weren't here," she briskly made her way to his desk, the small smile she caught from Matt out of the corner of her eye making her heart flip slightly. "I don't know what to make of it but it looks like some type of auction. And then I found these, dozens of them," she unfolded the picture of the brown-haired boy and blonde girl on his desk. Kol raised the picture to the light and frowned.

"Who are they?"

"When I turned on father's computer they were on the screen—"

"You went on his computer?" Kol exclaimed. "Rebekah he's going to know you were in there!"

"Henrik already covered for me—nothing happened to him!" she added quickly at Kol's alarmed look. "Father's brow didn't even wrinkle. Whatever Henrik told him made him happy."

"Have you told him anything?"

"Of course not," she snapped. "Don't you trust your own sister Kol?"

"You're being reckless! I shouldn't have told you anything—you're going to get yourself killed!"

"Have you seen them before?" Matt quickly intervened, earning a grateful smile from the blonde.

"No but I know their names," she pulled out her be-dazzled pink iPhone, flipping through the pictures quickly. "The boy's name is Jeremy."

"How do you know?" Kol demanded. Rebekah shot him a glare.

"It's on the page of the website I'm talking about—his picture was on the screen and some man from some other country and a number—"

"What number? Did you get a picture of the page? What else was on—?"

"Kol!" she snapped. "Let me finish!"

Her brother sighed but nodded, "Sorry."

"Anyways, he's being sold for $2,000,000. And the girl—her name is Caroline I think—her price is $1,500,000 and it's still rising," she shuddered. "He's treating them like they're animals!"

"That's a lot of money," Matt whistled. "Did it say the name of the man who bought him?"

"Someone from Europe I think—the name was very foreign. It looked Russian."

"This is the proof we've been looking for," Kol took the picture and examined it again. "He's probably got them locked away somewhere…do you know where this was taken?"

"I didn't get all of that—but I took a picture of this," she scrolled through her pictures until she came to the one with the list of addresses. "If father is keeping them locked away, they might be being kept in one of these."

"This is Richard Lockwood's old warehouse," Matt zoomed in on the name of a warehouse in District Five. "The bastard turned it into a storehouse for the people he snatches off the streets!"

"We're going to bust him," Kol growled. "If we can get back-up and get inside these warehouses we can catch him."

"Wait! You can't just storm in there! What if he hurts them?" Rebekah exclaimed in alarm pointing to the picture. "We should at least see if that's even what's inside the warehouse! It could be nothing!"

"She has a point," Matt stood and secured his belt and gun holster on his hip. "Me and you should check it out before telling the captain."

"Fine," Kol grumbled. "But if we find one person, we call the captain." He leaned over and kissed his sister's cheek.

"You've been a big help Bekah but you better get back before he notices you're missing."

"No! I'm coming!" she stood indignantly. "I'm the one who found the information—I deserve to know what's going on too!"

"You can't come Rebekah—this is police business now!" Kol cried. "Are you begging for a death wish? He's going to know you're gone!"

"He thinks I'm chaperoning Henrik and his friends on their road trip! He thinks I won't be home until tomorrow night!"

"Are you kidding me?" Kol threw his hands up in the air with a laugh. "And did you plan on having a place to sleep tonight?"

"With you, of course," she rolled her eyes. "You have a couch, don't you?"

"Bekah you can't just—!"

"It's fine, she can have my bed," Matt flushed when both sets of eyes turned on him. "I—I can take the couch."

"Thank you Matt," she gave him a smile. "It's nice to see gentlemen still exist."

Kol gave Matt a little glare before rolling his eyes, "You're not coming to see the warehouses, you're staying right here. You don't need to see this."

"What if Klaus is in there?" she asked quietly. "What if father made him one of his…slaves he's auctioning off?"

Kol took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "You really want to go?"

"I need to see it. Maybe if I see it…I can try to understand why our father would do something so terrible."

Kol looked over his sister and he realized that she was more mature than he gave her credit for. His sister had gone through so much for being so young; losing four of her brothers and her mother all before she graduated high school and being forced into marriage was a lot for any young woman to deal with and he was awed that she seemed to be handling it with such grace.

"Alright," he conceded. "But you let Matt and I check it out first just in case there's something bad in there. And if anyone—and I mean anyone—shows up while we're there, you go back in the car, deal?"

"Fine," she picked up her purse. "But I'm driving."

* * *

"Tell me how it feels," Tyler's voice was heavy with lust as he thrust into Jeremy's taut body, reveling in the high-pitched whimper he let out. Jeremy gripped the chains tighter, his big toes barely pressing into the ground as Tyler hit his spot again.

"It's—_oh! _ It's so good Master!" he moaned out. Tyler grinned as he gripped the slender hips tighter and lifted him up slightly to slide into him at a different angle, both of them crying out.

He'd been surprised when Jeremy had allowed him to suspend him in today's session. They had been doing different sessions over the past few weeks to see what Jeremy was becoming comfortable with and what was still considered a hard limit. Tyler wanted to gag him but he didn't dare ask him that, not after the incident in March. If Jeremy ever wanted to try that willingly, he would be very surprised.

"You like when I do this—you like when I take you and use you like a doll don't you?" Tyler's hard voice sounded over the chains rattling in Jeremy's ears. Jeremy whimpered as he looked at his bulging cock.

"Use me please sir please don't stop don't stop!" he babbled as Tyler slammed into him repeatedly, beginning to lose himself.

"Who do you belong to?" Tyler growled. "Who's your master?"

"You! Only you!"

"That's right," another hard thrust and Jeremy let out a high squeal. "I'm the only one who gets this," he grabbed his ass hard. "And you only belong to me, you only obey me. Only come when I tell you to," Tyler warned before slamming smoothly into him again groaning loudly.

"Oh _God_ I—I can't—!" Jeremy whined as he felt his orgasm drawing nearer; Tyler reached around and grabbed the base of his organ, squeezing tightly to stop his release and making Jeremy's whine turn into a low groan.

"You come when I tell you to," Tyler repeated firmly as he grabbed his ass again. He grabbed his hips once more, slamming into him over and over making the chains rattle. Jeremy was hardly aware of anything other than Tyler in him, around him, his hands burning his skin as he took what he wanted; when Tyler manhandled him it turned him on.

Tyler thrust into him hard, releasing with a loud groan and Jeremy couldn't help but follow him over. His orgasm left him breathless and he dangled weakly from the ceiling panting harshly. Tyler came around, shaking his head with a look of disappointment.

"Oh Jeremy," he murmured as he looked at his now flaccid erection. He shook his head with a smirk. "You've made a mess."

Jeremy didn't even have enough breath in his lungs to answer him as he dangled from the ceiling, his head dropping back between his shoulder blades.

"Someone needs to be disciplined." Tyler reached up and unchained Jeremy, catching the taller man when he slumped in his arms. He carried him to the bed and laid him on his stomach, smiling at his exhausted groan.

"We're not finished pet, you disobeyed me." The dashing billionaire reached into the black chest and pulled out the thick anal beads, a cock ring and the oil. He licked his lips as he drank in the sight of the beautiful pale boy laid out on his bed. "You didn't do what I asked and now comes discipline."

He smoothed a hand down the pale behind and couldn't resist bending to press a kiss to each cheek; God help him, he was obsessed with Jeremy's ass. His cock got hard every time he thought about the pale globes, how they felt under his hands when he grabbed them, how his cock looked every time it disappeared between those two perfect cheeks when he took him from behind…

Tyler smirked as his cock twitched; he took the oil from the nightstand and drenched the beads before he slipped them inside Jeremy, eyes closing when Jeremy moaned out loud. He flipped him over, watching as his face contorted in pained pleasure. He took a rosy, hard nipple into his mouth before he took Jeremy's limp cock into his hand, fit the ring on and shoving him it down. He sat next to Jeremy and ordered him to lie across his lap.

"Five spanks each cheek, count them out loud," he said silkily. Jeremy barely nodded his head before the hand came down, jostling the beads inside him and making him cry out sharply.

"Aren't you forgetting something pet?" Tyler reminded with a smirk. Jeremy blinked dazedly before he called out a one.

"Tsk, tsk," Tyler murmured as his hand started kneading. "Now we have to start over."

Jeremy moaned desperately; whether it was in protest or in wanting Tyler couldn't tell. He brought down his hand again and it took Jeremy a couple of times before calling out the number. His erection was starting to come back and was painfully constricted by the cock ring. Tyler's hand came down again and again, the beads hitting Jeremy's prostate sharply; by the final spank Jeremy was nearly sobbing from the torturous pleasure he was receiving.

"Do you want to come?" Tyler taunted as he pressed the beads further inside him. Jeremy writhed on him and whimpered.

"Yes, please sir! I'll never disobey you again I promise I'll be good!" He hardly noticed the tears leaking out of his eyes, the pleasure becoming too much for him.

"Such pretty begging," Tyler simpered as he laid Jeremy on his back, his cock engorged and red. Tyler licked his lips in anticipation. "Make me come first."

Jeremy nodded frantically, scrambling off the bed and onto his knees looking at Tyler with wide brown eyes and whimpering as the beads pressed in further from his sitting position; Tyler smirked as he tapped his hard cock against Jeremy's face before signaling the boy to open his mouth. Jeremy sucked him greedily, making his knees weak and his eyes shut. His hand fisted Jeremy's hair tightly as Jeremy's tongue slid along the underside of his cock before traveling back up around his head. Jeremy relaxed his jaw like Tyler taught him and took Tyler in deep, nearly gagging but managing to work past it. All too soon Tyler was groaning loudly and coming down his throat, some of his release coming down Jeremy's chin.

"You are too good at that, you've learned well pet," he whispered lustfully. "You've pleased me so I'll take the ring off."

He hauled Jeremy onto the bed and quickly removed the beads and rolled the ring off before taking the red cock into his hand, stroking quickly until Jeremy gave a sharp moan and came hard on himself and his hand. Tears were still leaking from his eyes as Tyler slid up his body slowly, pressing soft kisses to his neck and his face; he rolled over and brought Jeremy closer to him tucking his face in the crook of his neck and whispering words of comfort and praise in his ear. Jeremy whimpered softly and snuggled closer to his Master.

"You did wonderful pet," Tyler murmured comfortingly while running his hands down the pale boy's back. "You have made me very happy. Did you like the scene?"

"Yes Master," Jeremy mumbled and it was true; he could see why Tyler enjoyed doing this. He was starting to become more open to different scenes and though he was still scared of the more extreme scenes like being hit or whipped, he could say he had complete trust in Tyler not to ever hurt him.

He sighed softly as Tyler's hand glided up and down his back, trying not to make too much out of it. He loved what they did together and he loved how Tyler made him feel safe and special but he hated that knowing voice in the back of his mind that told him this would never last. Someday Tyler was going to get married and he would have to go.

Tyler pulled his head away from his neck and he pressed their lips together gently; Jeremy squeezed his eyes shut and kissed him back desperately. He needed to make Tyler realize that _he_ loved him, even if he didn't stand a chance against Rebekah. He needed the older man to know that he would do _anything_ to make him happy. He needed him to acknowledge him as more than a submissive.

Tyler pulled back and looked into Jeremy's eyes; he recognized the look on his face and it made his heart clench.

"Are you alright, pet?" he asked softly. Jeremy gave him a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes and nodded.

"I'm fine Master," he whispered as he nuzzled his shoulder, falling asleep in seconds. Tyler sighed as he laid Jeremy's head on the pillow and watched him; he knew what was bothering Jeremy and he felt horrible. He didn't mean to lead Jeremy on; if he had his way, Rebekah would disappear, her father would die and he would be free to be with Jeremy how he wanted. He wanted the chance to give Jeremy so much more than he could now; he deserved to have a normal, romantic relationship with someone and Tyler was discovering that he wanted to be that someone.

* * *

Jeremy was quiet as he and Caroline sat outside near the pool the next afternoon; Caroline asked him what was wrong multiple times but he just gave her a lying smile and said he was fine. They sat in companionable silence for a long time before Jeremy finally broke it.

"Caroline…can I ask you something?" Jeremy asked timidly. She nodded, having a feeling she already knew what it was about.

"Anything Jere, what's bothering you?"

"Um…when you realized how you…how you felt about Katherine…" he trailed off, looking uncertain. Caroline smiled encouragingly at him to go on.

"Go on Jere, it's alright."

"Well…did you think she didn't feel the same about you? How did you…deal with that?" he asked quietly.

"At first I thought she would send me away. Usually when a submissive falls in love with their Dominant and the Dominant doesn't reciprocate they will end the contract so that the submissive isn't led on. I was scared that Katherine would get rid of me but she told me she loved me first and everything fell into place."

Jeremy nodded looking off into the distance; he had no idea what he was supposed to do. Tyler was engaged and was bound by a contract to follow through with that engagement; there was no way he was going to risk losing everything for him. Still, he had this wild hope that maybe Tyler would feel something for him and choose not to send him away.

"This is about Master Tyler, isn't it?" Caroline asked softly. Jeremy smiled painfully, one tear slipping down his face.

"I think you already know," he whispered as he wiped the tear away, only for it to be replaced by another.

"I've tried…I really did try not to have feelings for him; he told me that he could only be my Dominant and nothing more and I was okay with that but…but I fell in love with him before I could even try to stop it. I've told myself over and over that he's engaged, that I could never measure up to what he needs but I just…I can't help it. I know I'm going to have to let him go and it hurts more than I…" his voice broke off, silent tears taking over. He buried his head in his hands as Caroline's arms came around him tightly, murmuring soft words; she felt awful for him.

"It's okay Jeremy," she murmured as he let out distressed cries. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. Master Tyler saved your life; he helped you get over your fears. It's natural that you would love him."

"But he doesn't feel the same for me!" he wailed. "He's never going to feel the same way! He's going to send me away!"

"You don't know that!" the blonde protested. "You should tell him how you feel Jeremy, he might surprise you!"

"No, I already know he doesn't," Jeremy shook his head. "He said he was going to find me an apartment before he got married. He doesn't want me around."

"Of course he does, he cares about you," Caroline murmured soothingly. "Master Tyler has been so different since you've been here, he's been laughing more, smiling more…he's really happy Jeremy and it's because of you!"

"He may care about me but he doesn't love me," he whispered mournfully. "Don't get my hopes up Caroline; even if he didn't want to marry her there's no shortage of beautiful women who he could have…I don't have a chance. I'm an idiot for even…wishing that he could change his mind," he mumbled sadly, trying desperately not to let Caroline's words give him hope. He wanted to say that he was fine with Tyler not returning his feelings, that he would be fine when Tyler let him go but he was only fooling himself; he knew he was going to fall apart when it was all said and done.

"Don't say that Jere! You're a wonderful person," Caroline felt her heart breaking as she listened to Jeremy put himself down. "I think you do have a chance—I think that Master Tyler really, really cares about you and he doesn't want to see you go."

"I'm not good enough for him," his tears fell faster. "I'll never be good enough for someone like him."

The tears took over, rendering his voice useless; Caroline carefully guided his head into her lap, his body lying parallel to the pool, and she ran her hands soothingly through his hair as he cried, wishing she could make this better for him. It broke her heart to hear Jeremy tear himself down that way. When his tears turned into heart-broken sobs she started humming the French lullaby Katherine would sing to her. She turned when she heard footsteps and she met Katherine's sad gaze with one of her own.

* * *

"When will you have the boy? I am eager to see him in person."

"Patience my friend, we're having a few minor setbacks but we should have him by the beginning of next month," Mikael assured the man on the other side of the screen. "Would you prefer to break him in or will I?"

"No one is to touch him," the man's Russian accent was heavy. "I will break him in myself. I have waited long for that."

"I understand. I assure you he will be here and in top condition when you arrive. I will see to that personally."

"Very good," he nodded before he disconnected the call. Mikael sighed and ran a hand through his hair; dealing with Adrik Romanov always put him on edge, the man was fucking intimidating.

He picked up a picture of Jeremy and stared hard at it; what was it about this boy that the ambassador was so enamored with? Mikael couldn't understand it, or why he would offer $2,000,000 up front in cash for him. They didn't have boys for him to please himself in his own country? Whatever the reason, he supposed he should be grateful—this was going to make him the second wealthiest in Nivea, right below Lockwood—but it didn't help that he was living as Lockwood's slave and he knew how…threatening Tyler and his friends could become if they were to discover his plans. It didn't matter now; his men would take care of him, his lesbian sister and the Salvatores if they started sticking their noses where they didn't need to be.

He put the picture down and picked up his cellphone, dialing a number he found in he recently contacted list. It was answered on the second ring, "Yeah boss?"

"Did you clear those two rooms like I asked?"

"Yeah boss, they're nice and ready for them."

"Excellent," Mikael grinned wickedly before hanging up. He couldn't wait to see the look on Lockwood's face when everything fell into place.

* * *

**Reviews are love! Thanks for reading! :D**


	16. Chapter 16

**Ahh you guys are AMAZING! Thank you all so, so much for the reviews! I'm so glad you guys like the story! I've rewritten this chapter seven times so hopefully you guys enjoy! And don't forget to review :)**

**Warnings: Slight violence.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

* * *

Rebekah blinked sleepily the next morning when she heard a noise to her right; she turned and her eyes widened when she was met with the sight of Matt's naked back, his towel in danger of falling off his slim hips. She tried to get her voice to work but she couldn't take her eyes off of him; he was gorgeous.

"Oh sorry! I didn't know you were awake!" Matt flushed brightly as he turned around, gracing her with a view of his toned chest. Rebekah tried to respond but all she managed was an undignified noise from the back of her throat.

As she struggled for words Matt had, regretfully, buttoned his shirt up and had managed to slip on some briefs underneath the towel—she wished she could have seen him in just those, or nothing at all—and his black slacks. It occurred to her that she still hadn't said anything and that he was still blushing a little bit.

"You…your bed is very…comfortable," she stuttered, realizing how that sounded once it came out. It also occurred to her that she was very, _very_ attracted to him, which could be a very serious problem.

"I'm glad you slept well," he muttered as he buckled his belt, aware of how domestic this felt. It definitely didn't help in diminishing the feelings he was gaining for her.

"I want to thank you…for yesterday," she murmured. They had driven nearly two hours before they reached the warehouse in the middle of nowhere. What they found would haunt her for the rest of her life; it made her sick to think her father would do such cruel things to innocent people.

"No problem. I'm sorry you had to see that," he murmured as he sat on the edge of the bed. He shuddered as he remembered the awful stench that hit them when they first pried the door open and seeing the chains attached to the bloody walls, the floors looking permanently stained red. But it was the pile of bodies in the farthest corner of the warehouse that disturbed him the most. When Rebekah had seen the bodies she fainted, Matt catching her before she hit the ground.

"I just don't understand why he…why anyone would…what had they ever done to deserve that?" her lips trembled and she felt tears in her eyes, her mind conjuring up various scenarios of how Klaus was murdered.

"We looked through the bodies, we didn't see Klaus," he grabbed one of her hands, "he could still be out there."

"He's not. If this was the secret he discovered then father's probably killed him. And if he knows that I know he's going to kill me," she whispered hoarsely, her tears starting to fall. Matt scooted closer and cupped her face, wiping her tears away with his thumbs.

"Hey, that's not going to happen. I won't let him hurt you," he soothed. "I'll keep you safe, I promise."

He drew her into his arms and she went willingly, her mind telling her she needed to stop but she wrapped her arms around him instead. She didn't know how long she sat there crying but she knew that she needed this.

"Thank you for letting me use you as a tissue," she pulled back with a laugh after a half hour, fighting not to go back into the safe haven his arms provided.

"Don't worry about him coming after you," he murmured as he held her face tenderly. "I would never let him hurt you."

Rebekah felt her breath catch as their eyes met, Matt's full of determination and something else, something that made her stomach do somersaults. She started to lean in closer and he followed her movements and it briefly occurred to her that they were about to—

"Matt, we got to go. The captain just called us in for a case," Kol burst into the room, eyes widening on the scene he just walked in on. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No," the both scooted away from each other blushing furiously. Kol looked between them for a moment before he left. Matt gave Rebekah an apologetic smile before standing.

"I have to go, I guess—but make yourself at home. I hope you're still here when we come back," he smiled again before he left the room, leaving Rebekah hot and flustered. It occurred to her, once again, that this was going to be a very, _very_ serious problem.

* * *

Breakfast was quiet that morning as the two Dominants and two submissives ate in silence save for the sound of silverware hitting plates. Katherine frowned as she watched Tyler cut his omelet roughly with a scowl plastered on his face and Jeremy next to him looking morose and forlorn. She shared a look with Caroline out the corner of her eye before going back to her own plate.

"I have to meet with Rebekah three times this week," Tyler said finally. "Mikael wants us to be seen together in public more, acting like we can't wait to get married," he snorted at the last statement and glared at the tablecloth. Katherine saw Jeremy press his lips together and bow his head and her heart clenched as she remembered his sobs.

"Tell him you do not want to go," she said simply. "He cannot force you."

"He'll bring up that damn contract," he snapped, immediately feeling bad and sending Katherine an apologetic glance to which she smiled.

"He cannot hold that contract over you forever," she placed her fork down. "Tyler…I do not think you should go through with this marriage."

"You and everyone else we know," he grumbled before he sighed. "I don't want to go through with this but I don't have a choice Katherine. I have no proof that she's done anything to go against our agreement. I'm stuck—I hate it but that's how it is."

"She is no good for you!" she exclaimed. "I do not understand why he would propose this agreement and _still_ try to take your father's company at the same time! It is all a scam—a dirty trick for him to get close enough to take control of the company!"

"I guess that's payback for taking Elijah in," he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "It is a scam but I've already signed and agreed to the terms. We're going to have to start accepting this Katherine. I've tried—God knows I have—to find a way out of this and unless we want to lose our businesses, this house and everything in it, Rebekah is going to be my wife."

Katherine gave Tyler a sympathetic look before turning her eyes to Jeremy; the boy hadn't raised his head throughout their conversation.

"Jeremy, are you alright?" Katherine asked softly. Tyler looked at him with a frown and placed a gentle hand on his making him jump, his eyes wide and frightened as he looked between the three of them.

"I—I'm find Mistress," he stuttered with a shaky smile. Katherine forced herself to return it, the glossiness in his eyes clenching her heart more. When both males returned to their plates she shared a look with Caroline and she knew they had the same thoughts.

_What's going to happen_ _to_ _Jeremy?_

**Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

After breakfast, Katherine made sure that Jeremy and Caroline were occupied with a movie before she made her way to Tyler's room. She knocked on the door once and she waited for him to invite her in before pushing the door open; she walked outside to the balcony and sat on the chase lounge next to Tyler's. He was staring at his view of the city, not even turning his head to acknowledge her.

"What is it Katherine?" he asked quietly. The brunette frowned at his tone.

"Yesterday I overheard a conversation between Jeremy and Caroline when I was looking for her," she sighed. "He is in love with you Tyler."

He was silent for a few moments; Katherine thought he didn't hear her.

"I know," he muttered, feeling guilty. "I've known for a while. I wish he wasn't, everything would be less…complicated."

"Why is it complicated?" she asked gently.

"I…it just is," he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Just drop it Katherine."

"You love him," she pressed. She wouldn't give up until she got the answer she wanted. "That is the true reason you do not want to go through with this marriage."

"I said drop it!" he snapped, standing. "I don't want to talk about this."

"You must tell him Tyler! He thinks he does not have a chance with you!"

"He doesn't! I have to marry Rebekah! Don't you understand that we are going to lose everything if I don't? Her father made damn sure I was trapped in this—there's no way out of it!" he stormed into his room, Katherine hot on his heels. "That's why it's fucking complicated!"

"You do not have to marry her! You can say no and you do not have to go through with this!"

"I can't throw everything my father worked for away!" he screamed. "I can't do that to my mother! I won't lose everything to that bastard!"

"Even if it costs you Jeremy?" Katherine screamed back. "You know that your mother only wants to see you happy! She will not care if you are in love with him but you must admit your true feelings Tyler!"

"I don't love him! I can't!" he picked up a paperweight sitting on his coffee table and threw it at one of the glass window panes, shattering it. "Stop trying to make this more than it is!"

"Then send him away," she said coldly; Tyler's head spun at the words.

"What?"

"You heard me. If he does not mean anything to you then send him away. It is cruel to keep him here and lead him on if you do not return his feelings."

"Where the hell is this coming from?" he snarled at her. "I can't just send him away! Do you know what that would do to him?"

"It is better than him letting him stay here and thinking you might have feelings for him! At least give him the chance to move on!"

"So you think it would be better if I just threw him in some apartment and just left him to take care of himself?" Tyler laughed sarcastically. "That would destroy him! He already thinks no one cares about him—!"

"You just said you do not return his feelings! Let him go now so he can move on with his life!"

"So you want me to prove him right by abandoning him? Don't act like you know what's best for him Katherine, he's not yours!"

"Perhaps I do! You are being selfish by keeping him here! You know how fragile he is and you continue to lead him on when you know how this will end!" she countered. Tyler's eyes flashed angrily.

"What the fuck is your problem?" he hissed angrily. "What happens between Jeremy and I is _none_ of your business! I don't harass you about your relationships with Caroline and Damon so I would appreciate that same respect from you!"

"I am honest with them about my feelings! I do not keep anything from them!" she cried. "But you are lying to me, to Jeremy, to everyone, including yourself! You clearly do not know what is good for either one of you! You did not see him Tyler, he is distraught over this and you have the power to change it but you will not! Why would you deny yourself happiness when it is staring you in the face?"

"I don't have to explain anything to you," he pushed past her and threw his door open. "Get out."

"Tyler, please just think about what I said," she pleaded.

"Get the fuck out of my room Katherine!" he snapped with a harsh glare. She sighed, moving slowly towards the door. When she reached him she tried to hug him but he stepped away from her, his glare never wavering

"You know that I will support you in whatever you do," she murmured. "I just want to see you happy and he makes you happy Tyler, the happiest I have ever seen you with anyone. Do not let that pass you by."

Tyler said nothing as she left; he slammed the door and stomped to his couch, dropping down heavily and burying his head in his hands. Katherine was right, of course, but he was too; he couldn't throw everything his father worked for away, even if it cost him his own happiness, even if this decision would tear him apart.

* * *

Fitz sighed as he handed his keys to his valet when he returned to his mansion in District Two that evening. He rolled his neck and nodded to his butler who opened his door for him whilst handing him a drink of his usual Gin and Coke.

"Your guests are waiting in the sitting room," the balding man stated formally. Fitz frowned; he hadn't been expecting anyone.

"Who is waiting? I was not aware I was having visitors," he snapped at the man. He looked unfazed by his boss's tone.

"They said they had important business to handle with you."

"Very well," Fitz glared at him. "But the next time you let people into my home without permission you can pack your bags."

He walked past his dining room and into his sitting room, coming to a stop when he saw Stefan and Damon talking and laughing with a bottle of his finest scotch sitting on the small end table between his two leather chairs.

"Damon, Stefan," Fitz nodded at the brothers, wondering how they found out where he lived. "What kind of business brings you to my home at this hour?"

"Oh you know, we were just in the neighborhood and we decided to stop by for a drink," Damon held up his glass, "you don't mind do you?"

"I suppose not, I have enough to share," Fitz sat in the chair facing them after grabbing a glass and gestured for one of them to pass the bottle. "But I know that you both have this same scotch in each of your homes around Atteca and around the world."

"Very true. There's just something special about yours, something…delectable," Stefan threw back the rest of his before placing his glass on the table and leaning back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap. "How has business been Fitz?"

"It's been booming. The stocks are rising and more people are investing. It's done well for me, even when it hasn't been well," he smirked. "Is that what you came to talk about, my business?"

"Yeah, just not the one you're thinking of," Stefan leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees, placing his head on folded hands. "How's your other business?"

"I'm…not sure what you're talking about," Fitz smiled sweetly. Damon rolled his eyes before throwing his drink back and slamming it on the coffee table in front of him.

"I think you do. And you better start talking before things get ugly."

"You'll have to give me more than that."

Stefan and Damon gave each other a look.

"So much for doing this your way," Damon gave a mock sigh. "I think my way is more effective."

"I'm starting to agree," Stefan smirked. Before Fitz could open his mouth to ask, both brothers pulled out their guns and aimed them at the man's head.

"I really didn't want to do this because it's messy," Stefan started, "but you haven't left us any choice."

"And here I thought we could be civil; if you wanted in on the business all you needed to do was ask," Fitz gave a mock sigh. Damon laughed and pulled back the safety.

"You know that's not why we're here. Tell us who Mikael does business with and who he sold Jeremy Gilbert to."

"Who? I don't know anyone by that name," he laughed. Stefan aimed the gun at the ceiling and shot a hole in it, making Fitz jump and the butlers come running.

"Send them away or the next one goes into your head," Damon snarled, jumping up. Fitz nodded hastily, nodding at the butlers to leave them alone. "Who is he Fitz?"

"I have no idea."

"Let's refresh your memory of that night." Stefan's smirk changed into a look of anger. "Your friend Garson told us your instructions were to snatch Jeremy to give to the man he was sold to but it was _your_ idea to do the scene. Now what would _you_ want with a boy that's at least thirty years younger than you?"

"Think hard Fitz, it might just save your life," Damon smirked.

Fitz looked between the two and, to the brother's surprise, he started laughing.

"How could I forget that face? He was a sweet, little tease," Fitz stood. "He just looked so innocent and—what's the word? _Virginal_. Why Lockwood would have any interest in a boy like that is beyond me, considering the kind of company he keeps."

"So you thought you'd check him out yourself," Stefan glared at him. Fitz threw his head back and laughed again.

"He definitely stood out from all the rest of that filth running around looking for a Master to spread their legs for. That creamy skin, those huge brown eyes so full of naivety…a truly beautiful boy. Almost reminds me of Katherine…is that what he saw in him? I wonder."

"You're disgusting," Damon spat.

"I just appreciate beauty…and he had a lot of it," Fitz threw back the rest of his drink and set on the table he was standing by. "I'd hoped to be the one to break him of his innocence but I suppose Lockwood's already done that."

"That's none of your business," Stefan snapped. "Who did Mikael sell him to?"

"What are you talking abou—?"

"Stop the fucking games!" Stefan rose from his seat quickly and had crossed over to Fitz, grabbing him and shoving him against the wall with one hand, holding the gun to his head with the other so fast Damon couldn't even comprehend what he was doing until he had done it.

"Who bought Jeremy?" Stefan roared in his face. "Answer me!"

"My my, we've touched a nerve," Fitz chuckled.

"I would answer him," Damon looked bored as he leaned against a bookcase. "Stefan's not very nice when he doesn't get his way."

"He should learn to control his temper; it's not an attractive quality."

"Answer the fucking question! Who bought him?"

"How do you expect this to end?" Fitz laughed. "You hope that I will change my mind before you decide to kill me and that I will tell you the handful of clients Mikael does business with. But as I'm sure you can guess that will not be happening because unlike others I have nothing to lose. You will gain nothing from my death."

"Only the satisfaction of watching you die," Stefan's eyes narrowed. "Last chance."

Fitz merely grinned at him, "You best get it over with. You won't get anything from me. But before you kill me I'd like to know…how is that wife of yours? I hear she's faring better than she was before…is that why this makes you angry? I don't know what you would have against Mikael and his work—it _is_ this business that brought her to you, isn't it?"

Stefan snarled in fury and thrust the gun under his chin roughly, drawing blood from force. Damon's eyebrows rose at Fitz's statement; he hadn't been able to get anything out of Stefan about his marriage, not even the woman's name. How did Fitz know more than him?

"You don't know a damn thing," he whispered furiously. "Don't ever mention her again."

"What if I were to tell you that I know all about your illegal whore?" Fitz hissed maliciously. "I take it your brother doesn't know her background—perhaps you'd like to share that now? And why she's being kept a secret? I'm sure he'd find that _very_ interesting."

"You're begging for a bullet," Stefan thrust him harder into the wall. "You don't know anything Fitz!"

"Or perhaps I should let her owner know who stole his favorite pet…he wouldn't be too happy about that. That wouldn't end so well for her or you."

Stefan's hand moved faster than lightening across Fitz's face; the greying man fell to the ground, his temple bleeding from the butt of the gun. Damon watched his brother staring at the man on the ground, the tension so thick you couldn't even cut it with a butcher's knife.

"We need to get rid of him," Stefan's voice was as tense as his shoulders. "He knows too much."

"About what Stefan?" Damon snapped. "What are you hiding? Or should I ask who?"

"Can we talk about this later?" Stefan started looking through the drawers of the nightstands. Damon growled in annoyance and grabbed Stefan's shoulder tightly, spinning him around.

"I'm tired of this guessing game so we're going to talk about this _now_," he re-holstered his gun. "Who is she Stefan? Who the fuck is so important to hide that you couldn't even tell me you got married? The only reason I even know you did is because of the ring on your finger!"

"I…it's complicated Damon," Stefan sighed after a long silence. "I can't tell you right now because it's not safe."

"Why?" Damon demanded. "Stop talking in riddles!"

"It's not safe for her, for…for anyone involved."

"What does that mean? She's not some runaway rich girl is she?"

"No, nothing like that just…she's illegal Damon. She was…forced to come here as a slave and I married her to protect her…to keep her safe."

"That doesn't explain why _we_ haven't met her!" Damon snarled. "Why are you hiding her?"

"For her protection!"

"Even from me?"

"Yes!"

"Why?"

"I don't know how you'll react," he huffed out. "I don't know how you, Katherine and Tyler will react to this. I don't want to scare you."

Damon's brow furrowed, "What the hell—?"

"Just…just drop it Damon," Stefan pleaded. "You'll meet her when the time is right, I promise. I just need to figure some things out before then."

Damon held his younger brother's gaze that was full of worry and anxiety; he sighed after another moment and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Fine," he muttered. "Do whatever you need to…but this conversation is _far_ from over little brother. You have a hell of a lot of explaining to do."

"I know, I just need more time. Thank you," Stefan gave him a slight smile and clapped his shoulder. "Now help me find a lighter."

"Look no more," Damon smirked as he pulled one out of his back pocket. "You know I always come prepared."

* * *

Tyler grinned as he watched Jeremy writhing on the bed, the buzzing of the thick, black vibrator inside him getting louder as he increased its speed. Jeremy gasped before letting out a loud moan, his legs starting to shake from where they were bound and suspended in mid-air. His wrists were tied to the head board and his body was stretched to where he couldn't move but he could feel every bit of the vibrator against his prostate.

"Oh my—oh!" Jeremy whimpered. "M-Master please, p-please!"

"Please what?" he taunted. "What do you want?"

"I—I need to—oh God please I—I need to come!"

"Really? I don't think you're ready." And just like that the vibrator was gone and Jeremy was left high and dry. He whined and thrust his hips up but all Tyler did was lick his lips.

"I like how you look right now…maybe I'll just leave you like this until I come home from work."

"No! No please, please don't—!"

"Are you disagreeing with me?"

"N-No sir," Jeremy whispered. He sincerely hoped that Tyler wouldn't leave him like this all day; that would be cruel.

"You need me. You need me to touch you to make you come, don't you?"

"Yes Sir I—I need you to do it!"

"Beg me," Tyler whispered with a wicked smile. "Tell me how much you need me."

Jeremy groaned as he writhed for a couple more seconds. He loved and hated when Tyler got him so close to the edge and stopped at the last minute; he thought he would burst out of his skin if this torture didn't end soon.

"Please, please touch me—I need you to touch me! It feels so good when you touch me; you make me feel so good!"

Tyler felt himself growing hard at the words; Jeremy's effect on him was amazing. "Keep going."

"I need you—I need you inside of me. I love when you're inside of me and I can feel you moving…"

"You like my cock?" the smirk never left Tyler's face. "You like it when I fuck you?"

"Yes! Yes sir I do!"

"And you like it in your mouth don't you?

"Yes, yes, yes!" Jeremy's head nodded vigorously. "I love your cock sir—I _need_ it!"

"God you're sexy, begging for me like that," Tyler licked his lips again, getting harder when he heard Jeremy say 'cock'. "I guess I can let you come…on my terms."

Before Jeremy could wonder at what that meant Tyler thrust the thick vibrator back inside him and his mind went blank; he cried out in pleasure and thrust his hips up again, hoping that Tyler would touch his leaking erection to help him. Instead Tyler licked from the base to the tip slowly, so, so, slowly; Jeremy thought he would cry.

"Oh please!" he drew out the word as he dug his head into the pillow. "Oh my God please, _please!_"

Tyler smirked before his mouth dropped to his sac, suckling on the soft, sensitive skin there.

"OhGodohGodohGodohGodohGodohG odoh—!" he screamed when he felt his balls tighten and Tyler's mouth around them and then his tongue was sliding over them and he came hard on his stomach and his chest, hips reaching as far as they could as he rode his orgasm. He took gasping breaths as he tried to catch his breath but it was hard when he was still tied down and Tyler kept the vibrator inside him. After what felt like hours Tyler took the toy out of him and threw it to the side before untying his feet; he kissed under his naval before licking the cum of Jeremy's stomach and moving to his chest.

"You taste so good," Tyler moaned when he reached his lips, letting him taste himself as he untied his wrists. When he pulled back Jeremy's eyes were wide and gazing at him with that look of love, the look that made him feel on top of the world and the scum at of the earth at the same time. Every time he looked at Jeremy now he could hear Katherine's voice in his head accusing him of leading him on and the guilt would nearly consume him; yes, he was leading Jeremy on and yes, it was wrong but how could he just let Jeremy go like he meant nothing?

"Master?" Jeremy's soft voice and a hand on his cheek brought him out of his inner battles. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine," Tyler lied with a smile. He couldn't think about this right now, Jeremy needed him to take care of him. "Do _you_ feel alright?"

"I'm—I'm fine," Jeremy lied and smiled right back. Inside he felt no better than a whore, begging for Tyler the way he had. This was just another scene to Tyler but to Jeremy it was another chance to try and show Tyler how he felt without actually telling him. And he had sounded so wanton and pathetic just so he could get off; he probably sounded like another slut to him.

"Jeremy," Tyler wiped away a tear he hadn't known had fallen. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing! It's nothing," Jeremy laughed and quickly scrambled to wipe the rest of the tears in his eyes away to save himself from further embarrassment. "I'm sorry…I don't know why that happened."

"Tell me pet," Tyler brought Jeremy to sit up with him. "Tell me what's wrong so I can fix it."

There was silence for a few moments as Jeremy tried to bring himself under control; he _couldn't_ tell him what was wrong but he couldn't lie either.

"I…I don't think you can," he whispered in humiliation. Tyler lifted his head and he cursed the tears that were still falling.

"Try me," Tyler said softly. "What's bothering you?"

Jeremy squeezed his eyes shut in the hopes that the tears would stop but it only seemed to make them worse; he had no choice now, he _had _to tell him and he was going to be sent away. He knew it was bound to happen and yet that didn't stop it from hurting so _damn_ much…but maybe if he told him he would surprise him, like Caroline said. It was doubtful but it couldn't hurt to try.

"It's just…I know you have other obligations with your…marriage and—and I…I understand you have to do this…but—but I…" he trailed off and looked away, not able to spit the words out. Tyler's heart pounded as he realized what was coming and his stomach burned uncomfortably when he realized the tears on his face were because of _him_.

"Go on Jere, it's okay," he soothed. Jeremy covered his eyes with one hand and let out a sob.

"I'm…I'm in love with you," he choked out. "I'm so sorry Master! I—I didn't mean for this to happen!"

Tyler smiled sadly before bringing Jeremy into his arms tightly, rocking him as he cried in his arms. The words were out now and there was no turning back. Now he had no choice; he could pretend he was in the dark with Jeremy's feelings before but now that he had admitted them…he had to end their contract, for Jeremy's sake, because he would continue to suffer if he stayed here. He couldn't be selfish anymore; his heart sank at the thought of Jeremy leaving him, of not waking up with the younger boy next to him, of being without him.

Jeremy continued to cry until he fell asleep in Tyler's arms; the billionaire didn't have the heart to wake him and send him to his own room and he covered Jeremy with the blankets before closing the door to the playroom gently, pressing his forehead against the door as he sighed deeply. This whole situation was a mess; he knew how this would turn out yet he kept going with it and now Jeremy, poor, vulnerable Jeremy was broken over this. It crossed his mind that he should have never done this but he couldn't bring himself to regret any of his time spent with Jeremy; he only wished things were different so he could give Jeremy what he wanted.

"I'm sorry Jeremy, I can't fix it," he whispered. He hit his fist against the door softly before going to his own room to get ready for work, feeling desolate and lost like when his father died.

**Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

Tyler resisted the urge to bang his head against the table as he sat in the middle of one of Nivea's hottest restaurants with Rebekah and another couple Mikael had arranged for them to have dinner with that evening. April Young and her fiancé James Furgeson were very well known in the wealthier parts of Nivea and Mikael arranged for the four to have dinner at _La_ _Cucina_ _Fantasia_ where they were conveniently seated by the window so the paparazzi could snap pictures of them. James's last name carried a lot of weight in Nivea, almost as much as Tyler's and Mikael thought it would boost Rebekah's and his image if they were all seen together. Tyler had snorted at that; he had gone to school with both April and James and knew that while April was the perfect daughter raised by a preacher and his wife, James was a drug-addicted sex-fiend who enjoyed spending his father's money on exotic getaways around the world and lavish parties, both of which he managed to keep hidden from his wife-to-be.

James was telling a story that had captivated both April and Rebekah's attention and only requiring him to nod here and there; he sighed as he looked around the fancy restaurant where everyone was dressed to impress and he couldn't help but want to be curled up in his sweats with Jeremy on the couch watching a movie. His mind went back to this morning with Jeremy crying and his stomach sank as he thought about finding Jeremy a place to live. He didn't think he would have to do this soon; he was hoping he'd have more time with Jeremy before he became a married man.

"Darling? Are you alright?" Rebekah touched his arm and he fought his instinct to pull away.

"Yes I'm fine," he forced a smile to his face. Rebekah looked at him for another moment before turning her attention back to James. Tyler looked out the window and rolled his eyes at the people practically mowing each other down to get a picture of them. He figured he should start paying attention and pretending like he enjoyed himself, lest he wanted Rebekah to bitch at him later.

After another painful hour and a half dinner was mercifully over and they were on the way to the opera playing in town that night; Tyler laughed when they were joined at the door by Damon and a pretty red-head on his arm.

"Damon," he hugged him, happy he wouldn't be suffering alone. "I didn't know you were coming."

"Neither did I—last minute plans," he winked before turning to Rebekah, his look becoming disdainful.

"Mr. Salvatore," she greeted neutrally. "I wasn't aware that you enjoyed the opera."

"I wasn't aware you did either…only the cultured and educated have a real taste for it."

"Then you understand why I'm surprised to see you here."

"Very clever Rebekah, did daddy teach you that comeback?"

"Ms. Mikaelson, you and Mr. Lockwood may go in," the woman at the ticket booth interrupted their banter; Rebekah shot Damon a heated glare before she walked in, Tyler following with silent laughter.

"I don't understand how you're friends with him," she snapped as they walked up the stairs to the balcony seats, "he's absolutely despicable."

"He says the same about you," Tyler rolled his eyes. "Maybe you should try to get to know him; he's not bad."

"He's disgusting—running around with a different woman every night. It makes me cringe how many have spread their legs for him."

"Shut-up Rebekah, you're smearing your lipstick," Tyler sneered. He was _not_ in the mood for her bitching at the moment.

"I'm sure the number of women and _men_ you've had in your bed is double his," Rebekah scoffed. "You don't make any attempt to hide your liaisons and they can ruin your reputation and mine!"

"What makes you think I give a fuck?" he snarled as they arrived at their seats. "Why can't you just worry about yourself and stop butting into my business?"

"You are my business if you're going to be my husband, you could make more of an effort to act like it."

"I'm here aren't I?" he snapped. "I'm here at a fucking opera when I'd rather be at home so don't tell me I'm not making an effort."

"Whatever Tyler," she sighed as she looked over the balcony at the people taking their seats. She saw a young couple talking and laughing with each other and Matt flashed across her mind.

April and James arrived shortly after and Damon and his companion not too long after; he and Rebekah shared a glare as he sat behind them.

"How was dinner with the fire-breathing dragon?" Damon whispered.

"Barely survived," Tyler chuckled. "I wanted to shoot myself."

"I would have if I were you."

The lights dimmed and the applause started, indicating that the opera was beginning; soon the stage was flooded with people in bright costumes singing in Italian. Tyler felt his mind starting to wander to Jeremy again and he shook his head and tried focusing on the song; his phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out while leaning down to block the bright light.

_Ryan Kentel. District Four, 296 Brighton Ave, Apt 153. _

Tyler quickly stuffed the phone back in his pocket and he excused himself, ignoring Damon's eyes following him the whole way out. He reached inside his jacket quickly to make sure his gun was still there before leaving the theater; he couldn't give Jeremy what he wanted but he could get him revenge.


	17. Chapter 17

**Hello lovelies, it's been a while! Thank you for everyone's continued support and love for this story, I really appreciate it :) I hope you all will enjoy this chapter! I know some of you wanted another Katherine/Damon/Caroline scene so I hope you guys will enjoy the steamy session at the end! Hopefully this will make up for the angst that is coming :)**

**Speaking of angst...who else is extremely disappointed with the way The Vampire Diaries is turning out this season? I just managed to catch up on all the episodes today and it just baffles me how they took away two such good characters. Not a happy camper :/ I guess I can only hope the season gets better but I doubt it will. Alright, enough with my ranting, on with the chapter! :D**

**Warnings: OOC-ness.**

**Disclaimer: I clearly don't own the vampire diaries. Tyler and Jeremy would still be in it if I did!**

* * *

Jeremy sighed as he looked among the beautiful flowers of the Lockwood's private gardens; whenever Tyler had allowed him to, he would come out here when he needed time to think or be alone. He'd had plenty of time to think lately; he hadn't seen Tyler since his confession in their last session a few days ago and he was sleeping in his own room again. The scent of the plants calmed him slightly and their colors made him feel some sense of inner peace from the turmoil he was suffering. The fountain in the middle splashed water gently into the air before falling back down into the pool below; butterflies and dragonflies chased each other all around him playfully. Jeremy sighed wistfully as he watched to Monarchs connect in mid-air, signaling they were together, his mind immediately picturing his Master's smirking face.

He wished he'd met the billionaire under different circumstances; maybe if he wasn't poor and working as a busboy at his restaurant, maybe if he still had his parents and they could have afforded to send him to college to become a veterinarian like he had always wanted to be. He always had a soft spot for animals; they weren't cruel like people, they didn't want to hurt him for no reason. If things would have been different then maybe this wouldn't have hurt him so bad; he would just be content with being Tyler's slave or maybe he would have thought the idea to be too disturbing and he would continue on with his life without knowing what it would be like to be his submissive. He wanted to regret his decision but he couldn't; as…strange as Tyler and his lifestyle was he couldn't help but fall in love with him. He had saved him, as Caroline had put it, from a life of fear; he made him believe that not everyone wanted to hurt him, that there were good people in the world. He brought him into his home, this house that became his safe haven, and he healed him; beyond these walls the real world was waiting to tear him apart and he didn't know if he could handle it without him.

He sighed sadly and closed his eyes; he shouldn't have told him anything, he should have just kept it to himself because he knew nothing could come of this. He was foolish to dream that it could happen; why would _anyone_ want him? He could barely take care of himself, why would anyone want to waste their time with someone who was so pitiful? These thoughts hurt him but he couldn't help but think that was true; the families that had adopted him hadn't cared about him and eventually he wasn't even good enough for adoption. There was obviously something wrong with him…that had to be why he was always alone. But then Tyler came and changed his life and made it something worthwhile until he had opened his mouth and now…now he would go back to being alone.

The tears had started falling again but he didn't even bother wiping them away; he didn't think he'd cried this much since his parents died and he realized what was going to happen to him. He didn't even know how he would recover from this, if he _could_ recover. How was he supposed to go back to living completely alone and ignored when he'd had everything he could have ever wanted? The thought of seeing Tyler all over TV with Rebekah on his arm made a sob rise out of his chest; she didn't even love him! Why did she get to marry him when she didn't even care about him at all? _He _cared about him, so he accepted the fact that he had to go. He wanted Tyler to be happy, even if it wasn't with him; he deserved it for doing so much good for others.

The sobs started to wrack his body and he had to lie down; why did this have to hurt so much? How could something that people spent their whole lives looking for have such a dark side? He thought of Tyler's smile and he whimpered as he wrapped his arms around himself, wishing the billionaire was there to hold him instead; what was going to happen to him when he was on his own again? He was scared that those men who found him in the alley would come for him, that those men who tricked him at the play party would find him and Tyler wouldn't be there to save him. He would be too busy starting a family to come to his rescue. He squeezed his eyes shut painfully as his mind bombarded him with horrible images of being attacked in his apartment. He felt a hand on his back and he jumped, quickly bringing his hand to his eyes to try and hide his crying.

"_Ma chérie_, what is wrong?" Katherine's soft accented voice asked softly. Jeremy shook his head jerkily and tried to suppress his sobs.

"I'm—I'm fine Mistress, I'm okay," he stuttered with a nervous laugh. Katherine sat next to him and took his face in her hands gently, drying his tears with her thumbs which, ironically, caused more to fall.

"Oh _chérie_," she cooed sadly as she brought him into her arms. He went willingly, crying into her shoulder as she whispered words of encouragement. When he had gotten his crying out he pulled away sniffling and wiping his eyes.

"This is so embarrassing," he mumbled with a self-deprecating laugh. "Sorry I'm such an emotional wreck."

"There is no need to be embarrassed Jeremy, you are upset," she patted her lap and he laid his head down. "What is it that has you so sad?"

"I told Master that I was…that I _am_ in love with him," he whispered in shame, feeling pain in his heart. "Now he's going to send me away. I should have never said anything."

Katherine hummed while she ran fingers through his hair, "Did he tell you that he was sending you away?"

"No…but I know that's what he has to do. He has to marry Rebekah and my being here would make everything harder."

"Did he tell you that?"

"No…I just know it would be," he sighed. "It hurts but…but I want him to be happy."

"He is happy with you," Katherine blurted before she could stop herself. "Jeremy, can you not see how happy he has been with you?"

"It's not enough. I'm not good enough, I never will be," he sighed sadly. "If he doesn't marry her you guys will lose everything you've worked for and there's no way I could afford to give that all back…I can't compete with Rebekah's money, I know that. He told me when we first started this that I couldn't stay and I agreed to leave when he needed me to."

"You can stay here. We have more than enough room for you Jeremy," she murmured. She didn't want to see this fragile boy go back to his old life where he was afraid and all alone; she had grown used to his presence and she knew Caroline saw him as a brother. It would be more than devastating if he left, she knew that for certain.

"Master wants me gone," he whispered. "I don't want to leave you guys but if this is what he needs then…I accept his decision. If I know he's happy, if he gets to keep everything he and his father have worked so hard for…that will be enough for me. I'll be happy knowing he's happy."

Katherine turned her head quickly to wipe the tears away that suddenly sprung to her eyes; Jeremy's complete devotion to making Tyler happy even though this would hurt him tore at her heart.

"You are a beautiful person Jeremy Gilbert," she whispered as smoothed his hair down. "You deserve to have everything your heart desires and so much more."

"Thank you Mistress," Jeremy mumbled with a small, sad smile. He knew that people like him never got what they wanted. He was too insignificant for anyone to worry over; he was positive that once he left, the girls would miss him but they would move on with their lives; his life was the only one that would completely stop.

Katherine bent down and kissed his forehead; the water shot up from the fountain at that moment nearly making Katherine miss the sound of crunching leaves in back of her. She turned slightly and her heart sank as she saw Tyler walking away from them, knowing he had heard their whole conversation.

**Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

When Tyler made it back inside and up to his office he slammed the door and screamed wordlessly, throwing everything on his desk to the floor with one swipe of his arm; why couldn't Jeremy be like every other submissive he'd had? Why couldn't he be just another boy he wanted to dominate and gotten rid of when he was done? Why did he have to fall in lo—?

_No_, his mind stopped that train of thought in its tracks. _You don't love him. He is just another submissive that you care about._

_What a load of shit_, another voice that sounded suspiciously like Damon sneered. _You know damn well that your feelings go above and beyond care for him._

He growled and clutched his hair tightly, Jeremy's words running through his head. How could he believe that he wasn't good enough? He was _better_ than anyone he knew, including himself! He was amazing and gentle and so, _so_ sweet and the fact that he believe he wasn't good enough for him made him want to throw everything in his office.

_And what are you doing to prove he __**is**__ good enough? You're letting him believe you only care for him as his Master; you don't act like he's good enough to be with you! You're the one making him feel like he's not worth a damn. You're going to throw him in some new house and forget about him when Rebekah comes!_

"No I won't!" he snarled. "I'll still be there for him!"

"Talking to yourself is a sign of insanity, you know."

Tyler jumped, smiling even though he really didn't feel like it at that moment. "Who let you in?"

"Elijah. It still surprises me you let him work for you."

"He was a confidant of my father's and Mikael threw him out of his own house with nothing but the clothes on his back. What was I supposed to do?" Tyler smirked. "Good thing he didn't go to you, he would still be homeless."

"Damn right. I don't trust any of them except for Kol," Damon finished the drink in his hand and set it on the table in front of him before settling into the couch. "So what is it that's so bad that it's got you destroying your office? Does it have to do with where you went when you left me to endure the entire opera alone?"

"Sorry about that, it was a business call," Tyler chuckled. "But it doesn't…it's complicated."

"I bet," Damon snorted. "Did Stefan teach you that line?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing, just Stefan being his usual, cryptic self. But I believe we were talking about you and how I'm going to solve your problems."

"If you could somehow make Mikael and Rebekah disappear that would solve everything," Tyler leaned into the couch. "I'm guessing Katherine filled you in."

"She didn't actually—there something I should know?"

"Jeremy's in love with me."

"So? Send him away like the others."

"I can't…I can't do that to him. He's fragile—he'll think I'm abandoning him and I don't want him to feel like he can't rely on me."

"Well you kind of are Ty…you're getting married to someone else in a few months."

"I know," Tyler dug his fingers in his hair. "I know I am and I fucking hate it. I hated it before but now…it's so much worse."

Damon watched his long-time friend for a while and he could clearly see the inner turmoil that was plaguing him. Jeremy had changed him—for the better—and he liked this new Tyler; the Tyler before Jeremy was broody and mopey and sometimes really angry for no reason but now he was happier and more carefree, like he wasn't carrying the weight of the world—also known as his father's legacy—on his shoulders. So since he liked new Tyler and he liked Jeremy and they obviously liked each other, he decided to put in his two-sense regardless if it pissed Tyler off.

"You say it's complicated but it's not. He loves you, you love him. No complications."

"I don't love him."

"You're lying."

"I'm _not_!" Tyler snapped. "Why don't you believe me?"

"Because I can see right through you! Telling me that you don't love him doesn't make it true Ty; I know you love him, _you_ know it, everyone does except for Jeremy and _that_ is why this is complicated when it doesn't need to be."

Tyler laughed and shook his head looking off to the side. "It's not that simple; if it was I would have figured this out already."

"There is a way out; it's just not one you've considered."

He sighed, "You think I should call it off."

"I've been thinking that. Now I think you have every reason to do it."

"I'm going to lose everything to Mikael! I've worked too hard—my father's worked too hard for me to just throw everything away!"

"That's your problem Tyler," Damon sighed. "Do you really think your father gave a damn about all the stuff he had? He bought it because he could afford it—he didn't let money run him. When he was alive all he cared about was you, Katherine and your mom; he hardly talked about the shit he bought or the parties he threw, you guys were his life. _You _were what he was proud of and if he had to choose between you and his money he would choose you in a heartbeat. Why aren't you doing the same?"

His question was met with silence.

"It's different," he muttered after a few moments. "My mother is the one who arranged this. She's the one who met with Mikael and worked out the terms…I can't go against what she wants."

"You're really going to hide behind that?" Damon snorted. "There used to be a time you did whatever the hell you wanted and you didn't care what your mother said."

"Her ass is on the line too!" Tyler snapped. "There is a lot of money riding on this Damon—for everyone! I've made my mom suffer a lot in the past; I'm not going to make her lose everything she has because of me. How selfish of me to ruin other people's live because I…I don't want to marry Rebekah."

"So you're not wanting to marry her has nothing to do with Jeremy at all."

"No, it doesn't," he sighed softly. "I'm not in love with him."

Damon watched him for a few moments, fully aware that Tyler was lying to convince himself that his feelings weren't worth it. Watching his best friend struggle to suppress his feelings so his mother would be happy was heart-breaking; no one should have to hide their feelings for the benefit of someone else.

"Tyler," he started softly. "It's okay to be in love with him, there's nothing wrong with it. We just want you to be happy."

There was silence again and Damon thought that Tyler would open up, at least admit how he somewhat felt about his young submissive. Instead he gave Damon a weak smile before moving to his desk to pick up everything he knocked off; Damon watched him for a moment before shaking his head before standing, closing the door on his way out.

* * *

"When are you going to visit again? Mom and I miss you," Bonnie whined into the phone. Jeremy chuckled on the other line.

"I will soon, he's still looking for those men who attacked me and he thinks they'll try to kill me if they see me again."

"Jesus, he's really trying to bring these guys down," Bonnie took a bite of her burger, holding the cell phone in one hand. "He really cares about you."

"Yeah," he sighed, feeling a pang in his heart. "I told him it wasn't necessary but he insisted. He, um…he said he was going to buy me an apartment in District Two so I wouldn't have to go back to my old one."

"What?" she screeched, causing people around her to stare at her but she paid them no mind. "Seriously, District Two? Those are worth thousands a _month_ in rent! Can I come live with you?"

"Of course, I'll have more than enough room," Jeremy chuckled.

"And he's buying your furniture?"

"Yeah, he kind of sold my other apartment with all my stuff in it."

"Wow…just wow. Tyler Lockwood is my new hero for getting you out of that horrible neighborhood. He doesn't mind doing this for you?"

"He said he didn't but I'm going to pay him back once I find another job. Hopefully there'll be people hiring in District Two," Jeremy felt the tears coming back but he closed his eyes hard to keep them away.

"Jeremy, the guy has enough money to send $10,000 a month to two charities; I don't think he expects you to pay him back. I don't he has a problem doing this for you."

"Yeah, I guess," he mumbled.

"You okay Jere? You sound kind of upset."

"I'm fine…just tired," a tear fell down his face and he wiped it away hastily. "I haven't been…sleeping well lately."

"What do you do all day in that house? I hope he doesn't keep you cooped up in there! Have you gone to explore District One?"

"Yeah…it's nice." Nice was a serious understatement.

"I bet it is! I'm so jealous of you!"

"Don't be," Jeremy sighed before he could stop himself.

"Why not? Everyone would _kill_ to live in District One!"

"Yeah, I know."

Bonnie's brow furrowed at his half-hearted response, "Is everything really okay over there Jere? You sound really…I don't know, different."

"I'm…I'm fine Bonnie, I promise," he said shakily. "I just don't feel well."

"Jeremy you don't sound okay," she spoke with concern, her overactive imagination started thinking of scenarios of Tyler doing weird things to her best friend. "You haven't been the same since you were…you know, attacked."

"I promise I'm fine Bonnie. I've healed from it."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," Jeremy laughed. "I've gotten my head checked out, I'm fine."

"I don't know…you had a concussion Jere, that can cause a lot of problems even after you've healed."

"You worry too much Bonnie," Jeremy chuckled. "It hurts every now and then but…it's nothing I can't handle. I still have my medicine; Tyler makes me take it sometimes even when my head doesn't hurt just in case."

"He makes you take it? Even when you don't need it?" she repeated in slight shock. "Why would he do that?"

"He just wants to make sure I'm okay," Jeremy's brow furrowed. "Is that a problem?"

"Does it have side effects?"

"I…it's like a stronger form of aspirin. Where are you going with this?"

"It just seems weird he would make you take a medicine when you don't need it." Images of Jeremy lying doped up and chained to Tyler's bed swirled in her brain and she had to ask. "Jere is he…doing stuff to you?"

"What—no!" Jeremy laughed, hoping to cover his tears that had started again out of nowhere. "Why would you think that?"

"What else am I supposed to think when I've seen his freaky sex toy stash! And then he happens to be there when you get attacked and he takes you in and sells your apartment and now you're living at his house taking medicine when you don't need it! The whole thing sounds like a weird horror movie!"

"Trust me, it's nothing like that," Jeremy assured. "He's a good person…he's been really good to me and so has the Mis—Katherine too."

"Well…okay," she sounded uncertain. "So he wouldn't mind if I came to see you?"

"He said you were welcome anytime."

"Alright…I'll have to check on you to see if you're _really_ okay," she stated. "I have to get back to work but my day off is Saturday so I'll come visit you."

"Alright Bonnie," Jeremy chuckled lightly, wiping the tears off his face. "It was good to hear from you."

"You too Jere," she smiled as she hung up. As she finished her burger, she couldn't help but notice how much Jeremy had changed since he had went to live with Tyler and she wasn't sure if she should be worried or not; Tyler was doing a good thing for Jeremy by trying to find the men who attacked him but it also seemed as if he was isolating Jeremy from the world by telling him not to leave. Then there were all those toys she found…and Tyler had asked Jeremy to stay behind at the party and asked her to leave…but Jeremy would tell her if he and Tyler were involved, wouldn't he? Unless…unless Tyler was hurting him and he was scared to admit it.

Bonnie bit her lip, unsure of what to think. Tyler was rich enough to get away with _anything_; no one would believe he was abusing a poor orphan boy he took out of the worst district in Nivea, something she should have done. _She_ should have been the one helping her best friend, not some mysterious billionaire she knew nothing about except for his bedroom kinks and while she was fine with Jeremy living there at first, this had been the first phone call she had gotten from him in months; every time she called a stiff sounding man answered and told her that Jeremy was busy, or asleep, or out with Tyler. She couldn't remember how many times in the past few months she had called and had always gotten an excuse and after a while, she started to become suspicious; Jeremy didn't work at The Pier anymore and she couldn't see Jeremy working while he had a concussion so she didn't understand why he was never available. Her mom, of course, had her own theories that Jeremy needed time away from everything so he could heal but Bonnie didn't think that healing meant not talking to your best friend for months. He had gotten attacked and then he upgraded to the best house in the best district in Nivea; sometimes she felt as if he thought he was too good for her but that wasn't like Jeremy at all. They had known each other for years, she was there for him when he dealt with his adoptive families, the only one who would really talk to him at school, and she had _never_ left Jeremy's side, not once! They had often promised each other that they would always be friends and Jeremy wasn't one to break a promise.

Then it hit her; it wasn't Jeremy that was avoiding her, it was Tyler that was making him.

It made complete sense, she thought as she stood to pay at the podium; at the party, Tyler had hardly spared her a glance (she was glad at the moment—that cold look made her palms sweat and _not_ the good kind) but he couldn't keep his eyes off Jeremy. Then he had dismissed her and asked Jeremy to stay and she was too scared for her job to wait for him and who knew what had happened after she left?

_Some friend I am_ she thought bitterly as she handed a $20 to the blonde girl at the counter; it was essentially her fault that Jeremy ended up at that house and it was her fault that he caught Tyler's attention. He would have never known about Jeremy if she didn't just _have_ to go to that damn party; now her best friend was in that house with one of the most powerful men in Atteca who found pleasure in tying people up and doing God-knows-what to them and while at first it was a big joke, the fact that Jeremy was exposed to it, that it could be _happening_ to him right now, was terrifying. If Tyler wanted something from Jeremy, he could get it—she knew how much of a pushover Jeremy was to avoid any and all confrontation and he was already scared of Tyler before the attack; what if he was using his fear to force him into something he didn't want? What if he really wasn't trying to find those men and he was only telling Jeremy that so he had an excuse to have him in his house? What if he was drugging Jeremy so he could tie him to his bed and have his way with him without a fight?

She thanked the waitress before slipping on her sunglasses and walked out the café; she wanted to believe she was wrong but she had a feeling she wasn't. _Something_ was happening to Jeremy in that house and she was going to do whatever it took to find out what.

* * *

Damon licked his lips as he watched his two favorite girls playing on the bed; his pants were tight to the point of being painful but he had been ordered by Katherine to only watch them until she decided otherwise. As much as he wanted to be in on the action, he couldn't deny that he enjoyed watching his ex-submissive take charge and doing dirty things to little innocent Caroline. It was like watching a movie; the predator catching her prey.

He was drawn out of his musings by a sharp moan by said blonde and he sat up unconsciously to get a better look; Caroline had her head thrown backwards and she was far enough over the bed that her head hung down, giving him a view of Katherine's head bobbing between the blonde's legs. Katherine's eyes locked with his and he grew harder from that smoldering gaze; he could tell she was enjoying herself.

Caroline was moaning non-stop now, her hands digging into Katherine's scalp as she rolled her hips in a steady rhythm; Katherine's hands reached up and squeezed her breasts, her head now moving from side to side while Caroline's moans grew louder and more frantic. Damon bit his lip hard and gripped the armrests tightly to keep from touching himself.

Katherine lifted her head after a moment, smirking at the moan of protest from her lover; she licked her lips before sucking on each nipple for a moment, drawing a series of low whimpers from her. She climbed off the bed and ordered Caroline to roll onto her stomach; she pulled her back to the front of the bed and cuffed her wrists, ordering her not to move before approaching Damon, the smirk never leaving her face.

"Did you enjoy the show, Mr. Salvatore?" she purred. Damon swallowed heavily; _God_, this woman.

"Very much," he returned her smirk. "Why did you stop?"

"Because it is your turn, but first let me prepare you," she smirked wickedly before dropping to her knees and undoing his pants with practiced ease, covering him with her lips. He threw his head back with a loud groan, his hand immediately going to her hair to guide her head; she popped off and smacked his hand.

"No touching or I will have to punish you," she warned. Damon could tell by the glint in her eye that she was serious. She gave a small, knowing smirk before going back to her task and Damon was sure he would come before he could really enjoy it. As if reading his thoughts she squeezed the base of his cock hard; he groaned in slight pain, his hands gripping the armrests tighter. She worked him for a few more moments before pulling back, her eyes locked with his as she licked her lips.

"Undress," she said softly. "I want to watch you and Caroline."

Damon stared at her in shock; _that_ was something new. Katherine was always involved with the scenes with Caroline to make the blonde more comfortable. He glanced at Caroline and saw the way she was staring at them—at _him_—on all fours with heavy desire.

"Are you sure?" he asked, still gripping to his chair tightly. She laughed lightly.

"Of course, I am not a man and there is only so much a toy can do. She needs to be with a real man again, she _craves_ it. You are the only man I trust her with."

Damon couldn't get out of his clothes fast enough; oh how he had _waited _for this moment. It was almost torture to do scenes with Caroline sometimes because, up until today, Katherine had only allowed him to taste her. He had respected this of course, he knew of Caroline's…history with men, but it didn't stop him from thinking about being inside that tight, hot—

"She is ready for you," Katherine took his place in the chair, spreading her legs indecently and putting fingers in her mouth before touching herself. "I made her very...moist."

_Sweet Jesus_.

Damon stared at her for a moment before licking his lips and getting on the bed behind Caroline, pressing a few kisses to her back. She moaned and wriggled against him, making him laugh lightly.

"Hold on," he murmured as he slicked two fingers with his mouth and thrust them in her; she immediately arched her back and groaned, making his mind go blank for a few seconds as he imagined being in that tight heat in just a moment. He stretched her for a minute or two more before grabbing the pineapple smelling lube thrown on the bed. He grinned at Katherine as he held up the bottle, "You still have this?"

"It does smell good," she returned it. "I know that it is your favorite during scenes."

"You remembered. I'm flattered." He let a couple drops fall into his palm, noting that it was warm, slicked himself up and grabbed Caroline's hip with one hand as he guided himself inside her entrance with the other. He had to bite his lip to keep from slamming all the way in like a jack-rabbit; she was tighter and warmer than he was ready for and he wanted to make this last.

"Fuck Caroline," he sighed when he was in to the hilt. She moaned in response and clenched around him, making him grip her hips tightly to steady himself. "Fucking tight."

He pulled out and thrust back in a couple times to get used to the feel of her, Caroline writhing in pleasure and moving her hips to meet his. Across the room, Katherine watched them hungrily as she rubbed one hand over her nub and one over her hardened nipple. She caught Damon's eye and shared a lustful gaze with him as he re-angled his hips and thrust, making Caroline moan loudly. He thrust into her steadily; his eyes locked with Katherine's, Caroline's moans and cries the only sound in the room besides the slapping of skin on skin.

Katherine's eyes narrowed when Caroline made a choked groan and she rose from the chair, climbing on the bed and sitting in front of Caroline, opening her legs to her. She licked her lips at Caroline's flushed face, running a hand through her damp, stringy hair; Caroline's heavy-lidded eyes met hers before lowering her head to meet her Mistress's demands. Katherine threw her head back in pleasure, her eyes meeting Damon's and she bit her lip teasingly before moaning wantonly as the slick tongue rubbed against her.

"Yesyesyesyes just like that darling," Katherine's back arched as she thrust forward, quickly nearing her peak. "_Baise-moi avec ta langue, ne jamais s'arrêter!_"

"I love when you talk dirty in French," Damon growled as he picked up the pace. Katherine smirked and laughed breathlessly before her face twisted in pleasure again and she was crying out in ecstasy as she came, Caroline moaning under her as she caught most of her Mistress's release in her mouth. Damon bit his lip as he watched her fall apart and felt Caroline clenching around him, hips snapping twice as fast as he neared his end.

"Where do you want me to come?" he gasped.

"Inside her," Katherine collapsed on the bed, exhausted. "Do you want him to come inside you darling?"

The wanton moan Caroline let out was more than enough conformation for both Dominants. Katherine turned around and slid underneath Caroline's raised body, her tongue quickly resuming its earlier activity. Damon let out a long groan, ending with a breathless, "Fuck!" as he came, followed by Caroline's breathless cry as she quivered and joined him. Damon carefully removed himself from the tight blonde as she fell forward onto Katherine; the brunette rolled from under her and took the cuffs off her arms, kissing her wrists gently before running a hand through her damp waves.

"_Ma belle fille_," she murmured before kissing her gently. Caroline smiled sleepily before closing her eyes.

"She needs a bath," Katherine murmured as she stroked her hair. "Will you join us Damon?"

"Sure, I love bath-time," Damon smirked. Katherine rolled her eyes with a laugh before getting out of bed and pulling her submissive with her.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

When the two Dominants made sure that Caroline was asleep, Katherine walked in the direction of the stairs to make a couple drinks for her and Damon. She squeezed the ends of her still dripping brown hair, smiling as she remembered the session in the bathtub and how delighted Caroline had been when both she and Damon had both tucked her in, something she had missed out on when she was a child; sometimes Caroline would tell her that she and Damon were better parents than her biological ones.

She rounded the corner and paused when she heard heavy breathing coming from Jeremy's room. Frowning she put her head against the door and her heart broke when she heard that the heavy breathing was actually muffled sobbing. She pressed her lips together, unsure of whether she should go inside and comfort him or let him be; she didn't want to embarrass him again but Jeremy was so heartbreakingly fragile and she wanted to help him, protect him from this heartache like a mother would a child. Jeremy brought out her mothering side and right now it was urging her to take this boy in her arms and just hold him. Her thoughts were interrupted when a hand was placed on her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Damon murmured. She nodded in the direction of the door.

"Jeremy is upset over Tyler," she sighed. "I do not even remember the last time he slept in his room alone, he has nightmares."

"Tyler is pretending his feelings for him don't exist," Damon shook his head. "I tried to talk to him but he insists he's not in love with him."

"He is lying!" Katherine whispered harshly. "I know he wants to do the right thing for his mother but all he is doing is causing unnecessary pain! He should not choose this marriage over someone who loves him and Jeremy does love him so much Damon. He is willing to leave to make Tyler happy even though he knows it will hurt him."

"Well there's not much we can do if Tyler wants to be in denial. Is he really looking for a place for him to live?"

"I do not know," she murmured quietly, "but Tyler is supposed to be moving into the house Mikael is having built for them. If he is going to leave then Jeremy should stay here. He needs to be around the people who love him, he should not be left alone."

They both quieted when they heard more movement from Jeremy's room; Katherine's heart clenched when she heard a low, painful moan on the other side. Damon caught the look on her face and snaked his arm around her waist.

"He'll be fine," Damon reassured. "He can heal from this, he's a survivor."

"I do not know. The last time we spoke he was so depressed."

"Let me talk to him," Damon kissed her forehead before knocking on the door. There was silence save for the movement of the blankets.

"Jeremy?" Damon called as he knocked again. "You okay in there?"

"I'm fine…sir," his voice was weak. "I'm just…sick."

Damon nudged Katherine in the direction of the kitchen, opening the door when she was gone down the stairs; he frowned at the plates of food that were piled on the coffee table. He walked to Jeremy's side of the bed and pulled the covers back, nearly cringing at how terrible he looked.

"How long have you been feeling sick?"

"I…I don't know, a while I guess," he sighed as he sat up and pulled another tissue from the box on the floor. "I'm sorry you had to…see me like this sir. I look terrible," he said with a small laugh.

"It's fine…Katherine and I are worried about you. You haven't been eating," he nodded in the direction of the plates. "Is your stomach upset?"

"No I…I'm not hungry," he whispered, lowering his eyes in shame. "I'm just really tired."

Damon looked him over once more; Tyler's abandonment was taking more of a toll than he thought. He lifted Jeremy's chin with one hand.

"If you need anything, just let me or Katherine know. Don't be afraid to ask," he said softly. Jeremy nodded and gave him a weak smile before laying back down, taking his pillow into his arms. Damon realized, with a slight pang in his chest, that he was pretending the pillow was Tyler.

He grabbed the three plates and left, closing the door just as Katherine returned with a tray of drinks, snacks and a plate of food that she brought for Jeremy.

"Don't bother," he looked at the three plates in his hand.

"This is dinner from two days ago!" she whispered with wide eyes on the plates. "He has not touched it!"

"He looks terrible," they walked back downstairs, balancing all the flatware. He placed the dishes on the island and sighed. "If Tyler makes him leave he's not going to recover from that."

"I would ask Tyler if he could just stay but…we are not exactly speaking at the moment," she sighed with a bitter laugh.

"I'll talk to him again," Damon placed a hand over hers. "I'm sure he won't mind, he'll probably still want to check up on Jeremy every now and then. When he's gone, we can look after Jeremy and help him get better."

Katherine smiled at him; it warmed her heart that he was so willing to help her with Jeremy just like he was with Caroline; this was why she loved him.

"I am sure he would appreciate that," she whispered, squeezing his hand. "Thank you Damon."

"Isn't this what parents do?" he teased lightly. She laughed before taking his hand and leading him back upstairs.


	18. Chapter 18

**Thank you for all the reviews! I'm so sorry this took so long but I've been busy between school (finals), my birthday (21 and finally legal to drink!) and job hunting (totally gave up). So this chapter is extra long just for you :) Please read, review and enjoy! I will try to get the next chapter up much faster!**

**Warnings: humiliation (non-erotic).**

**Disclaimers: don't own.**

* * *

Tyler bit his lip as he looked around the darkened halls for any sign of anyone before knocking lightly on the door; he knew there would be no answer, because Jeremy would already be asleep and the boy was sometimes a heavy sleeper. He turned the handle slowly and pushed, slipping inside quietly before shutting the door. A smile spread on his face when he neared the bed and saw his sub curled under the blankets, holding tightly to a pillow, sniffing every now and then. Tyler sat on the bed and rubbed Jeremy's neck tenderly before his hand went to his hair; it had been a week since Jeremy had admitted his feelings for him, a week they were sleeping in separate beds, a week that he had been sneaking into his room at night because he couldn't sleep without the younger boy next to him. He would stay until the first light of dawn, telling himself that he needed to be here in case Jeremy had a nightmare and he didn't want him to wake up alone, knowing that he only did this because really, _he_ didn't want to wake up alone.

Jeremy mumbled something that sounded like his name and snuggled further into his pillow, unaware of Tyler's presence; though he knew it was better if he didn't, Tyler often wished that Jeremy would wake up when he made these visits just so they could talk and he could look into those big eyes full of innocence and love. He sighed, his finger stroking his cheek; he missed him. He missed Jeremy a lot and not just in his bed; he missed talking to him, holding him, laughing and joking with him. He missed the nights they would curl up on the sofa together and watch movies, just talking and laughing and having a good time with each other or with the girls, he missed taking him places while they were disguised so the press wouldn't recognize them, his missed comforting him after his nightmares, he missed everything they were, everything they used to do until he started avoiding Jeremy with the idea that this would make things easier on both of them. He knew it hurt the younger boy deeply, broke his heart that Tyler was suddenly shunning him but he didn't see what choice he had; he couldn't lead Jeremy on when there was no chance of them having a future together. He couldn't give Jeremy that kind of hope.

_You're a fool_, the voice that sounded like Damon sneered at him. _You're a pathetic fool._ The voice was right; he was pathetic for resorting to seeing Jeremy at night and using the excuse of work to spend his whole day away from home. Every time he came home he knew Jeremy would be asleep; the only one that was awake was Katherine and he barely acknowledged her before he went to his room for the night. He felt alone and lost; the guilt the pain, the overwhelming feeling of losing control of his life was eating at him like acid and he wished it would just stop.

Tyler hadn't realized that he had lain down beside Jeremy as he steadily stroked his hair, looking into that face that was once so scared of him, wondering when it had become the other way around. Jeremy's brow furrowed for a moment and Tyler's hand paused, not sure if he wanted to be caught like this. He had no choice when Jeremy's eyes squinted open, unfocused as they landed on him. Neither of them said anything for a long moment, then Jeremy smiled sleepily and brought a hand to Tyler's face, stroking his skin with his thumb.

"You're here," he murmured. "I'm probably dreaming…but I'm glad you're here."

Tyler held his hand to his face and before he could stop himself, he moved forward and kissed Jeremy's forehead.

"Go back to sleep," Tyler whispered. Jeremy yawned and nodded, scooting into Tyler's open arms mumbling, "I love you," as his eyes closed. Tyler felt his heart clenched again but he forced it away as he allowed himself this small, selfish act; he held Jeremy until the first light of dawn and pressed a kiss to the top of his head before leaving. As he closed the door gently, he leaned against the wall with his head in his hands, the word pathetic not even beginning to describe how he felt at that moment.

* * *

"Jeremy?" Caroline called softly as she knocked lightly on the door. She pressed her lips together when she didn't hear anything and slowly turned the handle. She pushed the door open, sighing sadly as she saw the boy still sleeping soundly, holding tightly to his pillow.

"Oh Jeremy," she sighed sadly as she sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his back. Jeremy sniffled a little but didn't move. Footsteps at the door made her raise her head, her eyes meeting Tyler's as he walked in fiddling with his tie.

"Still asleep?" he murmured as he looked down at the bundled up boy.

"Yes sir, he's been asleep all morning."

He hummed thoughtfully, running a hand through the mused brown hair before turning to leave.

"Where is he going, sir?" Caroline blurted. Tyler turned to her questioningly.

"What do you mean?"

"He…he told me that you were finding him a new home and…I just want to know if I'll be able to visit him wherever he goes. He's my best friend," she said softly. Tyler smiled sadly before going to kiss the top of her head.

"Of course you can, he would appreciate that," he murmured into her hair, giving her another sad smile as he left. She bent and gave Jeremy a kiss to his hair before leaving him to sleep.

**Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

"Was he awake?" Katherine asked when the blonde entered her study. She shook her head sadly as she sat next to Damon.

"No. Master Tyler came in to check on him too. He's worried about him."

"We all are darling," she kissed the blonde's forehead. "Give Damon and I a moment, we will be down shortly."

She nodded and accepted another kiss from the brunette before leaving the room. Katherine sighed and took her seat.

"He is falling apart and I do not know how to stop it," she whispered. "He has not left the room in four days; every time I try to get him to eat something he says he is not hungry, just tired. I have tried to talk to Tyler about it but he has become good at avoiding me."

"It's not your fault Katherine. At least you're trying to help him," Damon snorted. "Tyler acts like he doesn't even have time for him. I bet that's the first time he's gone to see him."

"Have you spoken to Tyler?"

Damon shook his head, "He's avoiding me too. Every time I try to talk to him about Jeremy or anything related to him, he says to save it for later."

"When you have gone to see Jeremy…does he say anything?" she asked pleadingly.

"Not really, I do most of the talking," he shrugged. "He'll say something every now and then but every time I ask if he's alright he just says he's sick. He should really talk to someone though…what he's doing isn't healthy."

"He will not talk to anyone, he wants to hide his pain from us because I know he thinks it makes him look weak," she pressed her lips together and looked at the ceiling, "I do not know how to help him Damon. He will not talk to me no matter how many times I tell him he can."

"I'll get Stefan to talk to him; he's dealt with this kind of thing before. What Jeremy needs right now are people who support him and can help him to understand that what's going on right now with Tyler isn't his fault. His mentality is going to be shaky because he thinks he has done something to upset his Dom. When Dominants ignore their submissives for long periods of time without an explanation it messes with their heads."

"And since he is in love with Tyler it will be even worse," she let out a noise of frustration. "Tyler is being unreasonable! How can he now see what he is doing to Jeremy? It is as clear as the day that he is just as in love with Jeremy as Jeremy is with him! Why is he running away from it?"

"Because he's scared," Damon sighed. "This is the first time Tyler's felt something for anyone beyond lust that he considers family and he doesn't know how to handle it."

They were silent for another moment, their thoughts circling around everything that was happening with their family, with Tyler and Jeremy in particular.

"I don't think Jeremy should live here after Tyler ends their contract. It won't help him get over Tyler if he lives in his house—"

"You think he should live on his own?" Katherine asked incredulously. "He will not survive Damon! You said yourself that he should not!"

"—what I was going to say," Damon chuckled, "was that he should come live with me. That way you and Caroline can see him every day and we can watch over him. A change of scenery would do him good."

"You would do that?" she asked, surprised. He nodded and stood, walking to the window and looked out of it.

"He needs people he can rely on, ones who won't abandon him when he becomes an inconvenience. That's all he will see himself to be if no one is there to show him otherwise. When Tyler gets married Jeremy's going to need constant distracting; living alone would be the worst thing for someone like him."

Katherine stood and wrapped her arms around Damon from behind, placing a gentle kiss to his neck; he turned in her arms and brought their lips together softly, pressing their foreheads together when he pulled back.

"You would be good for him," she murmured. "You would really lift his spirits."

"I also know how to have fun," Damon smirked, making Katherine laugh. "I'll take good care of him. He'll have the time of his life with me."

"Within limits," she gave him a pointed look. "I do not want him turning into a _vagabond_."

"Yes _dear_," he kissed the corner of her mouth. "Does that mean our type of fun is off limits?"

"You know what I am speaking of."

"Yeah, I know. No drugs, limited alcohol, lots of condoms—I'm kidding," he laughed when Katherine's eyes narrowed marginally. "I won't let him turn into Tyler—though I doubt he'll even be thinking about sex since he doesn't like people touching him. I'll monitor him."

"Good," she kissed him again before stepping out of his embrace. "I should try to get him to eat something. He skipped dinner again last night."

He nodded, watching as she left the room. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose; he would never involve himself to this extent in anyone's relationship but Jeremy was so fragile it was almost inhuman to let him continue to go through this torture. From what Katherine had told him about the kid, he'd had a tough life; he knew Tyler meant well by avoiding him but he was only making Jeremy's life harder. He couldn't handle another person leaving him, especially someone who had become everything to him, literally speaking. If Tyler continued on with his behavior Jeremy would probably never trust anyone again and the caring boy they all knew would become cold and untrusting like he did…or the way Tyler did before he'd met him.

With a sigh he left for downstairs, thinking that he would do whatever he could to help the broken boy.

* * *

"Are you completely incompetent? I told you to change the wood in the foyer from the light wood to the dark one three days ago!" Rebekah shrieked at the workers. "Do you understand English?"

"Ms. Mikaelson we're ripping it out right now but we can't get a shipment of that particular brand of wood until next month—"

"Clearly you are inept! I am getting married in three months; I need this house completely ready and you lot gone by the time I get back from my honeymoon! This was supposed to be done months ago and not only are you behind, you've managed to screw up more than once!" she fumed, waving her hands around. "I should just fire you and find another contractor who actually listens to his costumers!"

"Please Ms. Mikaelson, give us a chance to fix it," the man pleaded. "We've ordered the wood and we're just waiting for it to be delivered, we can have it put down in a day."

"I have given you more than enough time to do as I asked," she snarled, the fury clear in her voice, "it's not my fault that you're all a bunch of lazy jack—"

"Sweetheart, relax!" Mikael chuckled next to her, squeezing her shoulder in warning. "Why don't you leave Mr. Wong and I to talk and you go see the rest of the house, hmm?"

Rebekah glared at him before storming off down the stairs; her fury jumped up a notch when she saw her fiancé walk through the door with dark sunglasses and unshaven face.

"How bloody nice of you to show up today!" she barked. "What on earth took you so long Tyler?"

"You may not understand this concept Rebekah but my life doesn't revolved around you or your father," he rubbed his head slightly. Rebekah noticed the slight slur in his voice and she stormed up to him and ripped the glasses away from his face.

"What the fuck Rebekah!"

"You've been drinking again!" she hissed. "This is the second time that you will be in my father's presence drunk like a slob!"

"I'm not drunk," he snapped back. "But considering I have to handle the both of you at the same time it's not a bad idea. I'll have to try it sometime."

"You are such a—!"

"Lockwood!" Mikael's voice boomed as he made his way downstairs. "I thought you had gotten lost!"

"I wish," he muttered under his breath, ignoring Rebekah's scoff. "What was so important that I needed to see about this house? You know I'm busy with the company, I don't have time to be making trips like this."

"I thought you would want to see the progression of your future home. You know, the one you'll be sharing with my daughter, your future _wife_," he grabbed Tyler's hand in a handshake and pulled him closer to hiss in his ear, "so you better act like you can't wait to live in here you ungrateful bastard. I want everyone in here to believe that you and Rebekah are deliriously happy and no one to ask questions!"

"Delirious is right," Tyler snarled back before he pulled away, plastering a fake smile to his face when he turned to the contractor. "How are we coming? No delays I hope?"

The contractor looked relieved that at least one person wasn't mad at him and he jumped into explaining what had been done in and out of the house; he nodded when necessary and made comments of interest here and there as they walked through the partly constructed house, Rebekah and her father trailing behind them.

"And as I told Ms. Mikaelson, we'll be changing the flooring in the foyer when the new shipment of wood arrives and that won't take long at all and it's on the house as an apology of our mix-up."

"I want to see the kitchen," Rebekah interrupted them with her haughty voice. "And the parlor, I need to see how many people I'm going to be able to entertain when we have dinner parties."

Tyler rolled his eyes as he followed them; his phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out, his heart picking up a little speed as the name _Paul_ _Jenkins_ and his address appeared on his phone.

"Something bothering you Lockwood?" Mikael's voice tore his attention away from the phone.

Tyler forced a smile to his face, "It's the office, they need me back—the quarterly statements are coming up and the advisors want my input."

"Oh, of course. Well you should go, we wouldn't want to keep you from such…_important_ matters," Mikael sneered at him. Tyler merely smirked before he turned and left without another word. When his back was turned, Mikael shot a look at one of the body guards that had followed them inside the room; the man nodded and followed Tyler out of the room.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

Tyler was thoroughly surprised when he pulled up to the nice two-story house that was Paul Jenkins' home. How the hell did a bully like him get this nice house while Jeremy only ended up with a filthy apartment and barely enough money to pay his bills? That was an injustice if he ever saw one and he was going to set it right; it should have been Jeremy to live in this beautiful house, not his abuser.

He got out of the car, making sure no one was around before walking to the side gate; the setting sun shined in his eyes and he held up a hand to shield it as he slowly pushed the gate open; he frowned when he reached the backyard with a really nice pool and the various toys strewn around. He heard a door slide open and voices coming closer; he quickly threw himself by the side wall and peaked around the corner, his mouth dropping slightly as he watched a little boy jump into the pool with a loud laugh. The woman who followed him outside was laughing, her hand resting over her small baby bump. Tyler watched in dismay as Paul joined them, kissing her on the cheek, and he turned away from the scene dropping his head against the wall; he had no idea Paul had a family, let alone children. He looked around the corner again and watched as Paul lifted the boy out of the water and into the air, both laughing. Tyler narrowed his eyes, resisting the urge to just whip the weapon out and shoot the bastard in the head; he didn't deserve any of this. He didn't deserve to be happy like this! How the hell had he even gotten such a nice setup after living in an orphanage? He was barely twenty! And didn't that woman know that he was an abuser? He honestly wouldn't be surprised if he was hitting her and his son, though by how happy they looked, he knew that probably wasn't the case.

The woman walked back into the house and the little boy followed after her, the towel he was now wrapped in dragging on the ground after him. Paul had sat down and put his feet up on the table, popping open a beer and taking a long drink.

_This is my chance_, Tyler thought as he removed the safety and took aim while making sure to stay hidden in the shadows.

_Are you really going to take a father away from his child? Do you want that child to grow up cold and angry like you?_

_Not_ _my_ _problem_, Tyler narrowed his eyes as his finger started squeezing the trigger. At least the boy and the woman wouldn't watch his brains getting blown out.

_What would Jeremy think?_

He paused; if Jeremy was here right now, what _would_ he say? He would be horrified that Tyler was about to take a life, even if it was the life of someone who had hurt him; would he beg Tyler to spare his life? Would he be terrified that he was about to end this man's life with absolutely no guilt or remorse?

_He'd be disgusted with you. He'd never look at you the same…he would be terrified of you if he could see this._

He gritted his teeth and pulled back slightly; if Jeremy could see him now…he would wonder why on earth he was in love with someone like him. He was about to take a little boy's father away, a pain that he knew all too well. Could he really put someone through that? Could he really take this boy's father away from him the way he knew Mikael had taken his?

The door had slid open again and the little boy ran out, tugging on his arm to get him to stand; Paul chuckled and stood, letting himself be dragged into the house, the door sliding shut again. Tyler waited a couple seconds before moving into the back yard and up to the door; from where he was standing he could see the family of three gathered in front of the good sized television, the back of the couch facing the door. They were watching a children's movie; the little boy had made himself comfortable on Paul's lap while his wife had her feet propped on the footrest, rubbing her stomach.

Tyler put his hand on the door-handle, licking his lips in anticipation as he prepared to open it; his heart raced as he got that familiar adrenaline rush whenever he did this, whenever he was about to satisfy his blood-thirsty urge for revenge. He dared to put a hand on _his_ submissive and now he would pay the price.

_How do you think Jeremy would feel if he knew you were about to kill a little boy's father in his name?_

Again he paused, his thoughts straying back to the gentle boy; he could imagine his eyes growing wide with fear and sadness if he knew Tyler did this, if he destroyed this family. He wouldn't just be ending one life, he would be ending two more; this man had a family that needed him, _loved_ him. He may have wanted revenge but he couldn't hurt an innocent child and woman this way, not when he knew how much it hurt when he lost his father as an adult. No matter how badly Paul deserved to die for what he'd done to Jeremy…he couldn't take a father away from his son. He wasn't cruel; he wouldn't let a boy grow up without his father.

With a low growl he replaced the safety left through the gate and went back to his car, throwing the gun on the seat next to him; he hit the steering wheel in annoyance and anger before jamming the keys in the ignition and taking of a full speed down the road, never looking back.

He never noticed the man getting out of the black car that was sitting a few feet from his and following his path into the backyard.

* * *

"Jeremy?" Katherine called softly as she knocked on the door. When she didn't receive an answer she twisted the doorknob and pushed it open silently, the sight of Jeremy curled up with his pillow in his arms breaking her heart.

"He's hasn't moved since I left him to sleep," Damon sighed. "Said he felt sick."

"I feel terrible," Caroline whispered from his other side. He placed an arm around her gently.

"He barely touched his plate at breakfast, I know Tyler would be angry if he saw it," she turned to them. "Go downstairs; I will wake him for dinner."

She waited until the other two had left before sitting next to Jeremy, rubbing his back softly. "Jeremy, _chéri_, it is time for dinner."

"M' not hungry," Jeremy's voice sounded hoarse.

"Jeremy, you have to eat," she murmured. "This is not healthy _mon_ _amour_. Please get up and eat something, for me."

Jeremy sighed heavily and sat up rubbing his red eyes; Katherine cringed inwardly at how gaunt he looked. She smoothed a hand through his hair before getting up and holding out a hand to him. He took it, keeping his head down as she led him downstairs and into the dining room. When Caroline saw him she beamed and stood to hug him tightly, not at all disheartened by the barely there hug he gave in return. She pulled back and gave him a peck on the cheek and an encouraging smile before leading him to a seat between her and Damon. The older man gave him a smile and he gave him a small one in return; lately Damon's presence had been a comfort to him.

"You feel any better from earlier?" he asked softly. Jeremy shrugged as he stared at his plate.

"A little bit."

The older man smiled and squeezed his arm before digging into his plate. Jeremy watched them all for a moment before staring at his own plate of food. He started to push it around with his fork, which everyone noticed.

"Jeremy, you need to eat something," Katherine pleaded quietly. "No eating for days is not good for you."

"I'm…I'm just not hungry," he mumbled shamefully, setting the fork down. "I'm sorry Mistress."

"Don't be sorry," Damon picked up Jeremy's fork, "she's not mad Jere, we're all just concerned. Just take a couple bites, okay?"

Jeremy pressed his lips together and took the fork from Damon with a slight smile; he took slow bites and chewed slowly as he forced himself to eat. Whenever he wanted to stop he told himself that he needed to do this to make the Mistress and Master Damon happy; he couldn't disappoint them like he had done his own Master. Before he knew it he was half-way through his plate.

"You're doing good, Jere," Damon soothed. "Take your time, there's no hurry."

This was the scene that Tyler walked in on when he came home that evening; he stopped at the doorway where he was obscured in the dark and watched as Jeremy kept turning to Damon and the raven-haired man would nod and give him _that_ smile, the kind he used to charm people and lure into bed. He narrowed his eyes when Jeremy smiled back; he knew he hadn't been around as much—okay, maybe not at all—and Jeremy had been spending time—_maybe too much_—with him but the way Jeremy was smiling at Damon as if they were old friends—_look at how close they are!_—irritated him; Jeremy was _his_, Damon had no right to make a move on _his_ submissive and Jeremy should have known better than to flirt with another Dominant, especially his best friend, because he made it clear in person and in their contract that he didn't share and that Jeremy was to obey no one but him. Now he was regretting letting him even near Damon because he could see where this was headed…and he didn't like it one bit. He scowled when Damon squeezed Jeremy's shoulder and decided to make his presence known.

"Smells good," he said loudly, making nearly everyone turn to him; Jeremy had opted for lowering his head. "What is it?"

Katherine and Damon shared a look before she answered.

"Steak. With vegetables and mashed potatoes."

Tyler hummed, refusing Elijah's request to fix him a plate before sitting down across from Caroline. His eyes went to Jeremy again but the boy kept his eyes on his plate determinedly. Damon watched Tyler warily, his hand still gripping Jeremy's shoulder; Tyler's eyes narrowed but he didn't comment.

"We have not seen you in a while," Katherine started carefully, treading lightly with the sudden tension that had entered the room.

"I've had a lot of work to do at the office and Mikael wants Rebekah and me to be seen together more. I actually have to meet with her in about an hour."

"I see," she went back to eating, not wanting to start an argument about Jeremy while he was in their presence. She looked down the table at Jeremy and frowned sadly when she saw his head down; she looked at Tyler again and saw that he was staring—more like glaring—at Jeremy and cleared her throat.

"How is Rebekah?"

"Same as always."

Damon snorted at that; he tried to keep eating but the way Jeremy was suddenly shaking next to him was distracting. He noticed that the hand holding his fork was trembling and he placed a gentle hand on his arm.

"You alright?" he asked quietly, hoping Tyler didn't hear. Unfortunately for both of them, he did.

"What's wrong Jeremy?" Tyler's voice was sharper than he intended. Jeremy flinched and his head whipped up; his eyes were glossy and wide and he looked ready to hide under the table.

"N-Nothing sir!" his voice was colored with nerves. Damon shot Tyler a quick glare before pushing Jeremy's plate back.

"Go upstairs, Elijah can bring you your food."

"No, he's staying right there until he finishes his plate," Tyler gave Jeremy a pointed look. "You know the rules Jeremy. You have to finish everything on your plate before you can leave. You only leave the table when _I_ tell you it's okay."

Jeremy mashed his lips together, nodding vigorously, "Yes—yes I know."

"Good," he smirked at Damon. The older man rolled his eyes before turning to Jeremy.

"Go upstairs Jeremy, it's alright."

"He's staying here," Tyler snapped through gritted teeth. "I want that plate clean before you go anywhere Jeremy."

"Do not start this," Katherine pleaded quietly. Tyler ignored her, his eyes fixated on his visibly shaking charge and his best friend. He knew he was angry from earlier and it was wrong of him to take it out on his family but Damon was pushing Jeremy to defy him and he couldn't let that fly.

"Go on Jeremy," Damon said as gently as he could to the scared boy, "I said it was okay."

"Jeremy, don't move," Tyler glared heatedly at Damon. "Remember who your Master is."

Jeremy looked between the two Dominants glaring at each other in complete dismay, not knowing who to listen too. He quickly made a decision, however; he didn't want to be the reason a fight broke out.

"It—it's fine," he turned to Damon, missing Tyler's eyes narrowing to slits, "I don't mind staying—"

"Shut-up. I didn't say you could talk."

Caroline gasped, her eyes immediately going to Katherine who was staring at Tyler with shock and anger. Jeremy promptly closed his mouth and lowered his head; he took a deep breath and closed his eyes to stop the tears from coming. He wouldn't let his Master humiliate him further by calling him weak or make him angry enough to hit him.

"The fuck is your problem?" Damon snapped. "He knows who his _Dominant_ is; don't treat him like some dumb dog!"

"Stop telling him to undermine my authority. There are rules he needs to follow and he _will_ follow them."

"I wasn't aware you were a dictator."

Tyler stood quickly in his anger, making Jeremy jump and knock his silverware and some of his food onto the ground.

"I'm—I'm sorry," he stammered as he bent to pick up the knife and fork and wipe the food that had fallen with them. Tyler hardly noticed, his eyes trained on the raven-haired man as he squeezed Jeremy's shoulder and whispered, "It's alright."

"No it's not. Get on the floor."

Both Jeremy and Damon looked at him, bewildered, "What?"

"You heard me. If you want to throw food on the floor like a slob then you should eat there. You will kneel on the floor by your chair and finish the rest of your dinner and when I say, you can leave."

"Tyler," Damon warned but Tyler's eyes were fixed on Jeremy's shocked face.

"Get on the floor. Now."

"Stop it Tyler!" Katherine finally cried. "We know that you are his Dominant!"

"Clearly you don't," his eyes focused on the scared brown ones. "Don't make me ask you again Jeremy."

Jeremy bottom lip trembled at the cold look in Tyler's eyes as he grabbed his plate and got to his knees, placing the plate in his lap. He definitely didn't feel hungry anymore, in fact he felt ready to throw-up as humiliation rose inside him. He was acutely aware of Tyler's eyes boring into him as he picked up his silverware from the ground and took another bite of steak, forcing it past the thick lump in his throat.

"Use your hands. Slobs don't need their forks."

"Jesus Christ Tyler!" Damon stood as well, anger radiating off of him. "This isn't fucking necessary!"

"I'll decide what's fucking necessary for _my_ submissive!" Tyler glared at him. "He's not your concern so back off!"

When Jeremy had picked up a piece of steak and put it in his mouth with his fingers, Katherine had had enough. She slammed a hand on the table and stood as well, turning the men's attention in her direction; cold fury was evident in her eyes as she threw her napkin on the table.

"You went too far," she hissed angrily as she moved towards Jeremy and crouched next to him. She took his plate and handed it to Damon before picking up the fallen knife and fork, calling for a couple of the maids to clean up the mess. She cupped his face gently and looked into his eyes, surprised he managed to keep his tears in before pulling him up.

"What the hell are you doing Katherine?" Tyler spat. "I never said he could fucking move!"

"_Vous me dégoûtez!_ _Il mérite tellement mieux que ça!_ How _dare_ you use abuse your rights as his Dominant! We don't _ever_ used humiliation as punishment, you should know! Stefan made that a rule because of _you_! _Cesser d'agir comme un trou du cul!_"

She walked around the table, leading Jeremy by the arm, "Come Caroline, you and Jeremy can finish your dinners upstairs."

"B-But He said—" Jeremy started pulling away from her but she held tightly.

"No Jeremy, it is alright _chéri_."

"I really should just stay—"

"Just go Jeremy," Tyler sighed tiredly.

The look of pure hurt on his submissive's face made his heart sink. He immediately felt horrible for what just happened as he watched Katherine lead the two up the stairs. Jeremy hadn't deserved any of that; he only wanted to make a point to Damon and Katherine and he hurt Jeremy as a result. He knew how horrible humiliation was and he had just subjected his own submissive to the worst of it, even going so far as to call him names. He heard Damon scoff and he turned to face his best friend, staring at him with the same disgusted look.

"What the hell was that? There was no fucking reason for you to humiliate him!"

"You wouldn't back off!" Tyler retorted. "He is _my_ submissive, just because you've been spending time with him doesn't mean you have any rights to him! You're not his Dominant!"

"So you humiliate him to get back at _me_? How does that even make sense Tyler?" Damon spat. "I don't know why you have a stick up your ass but you don't have the right to take it out on us! Jeremy didn't deserve that, especially with the way you've been treating him lately!"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about how you abandoned him! You don't call, you don't ask us if he's okay, it's like you don't give a fuck about him! You have time for work and Rebekah and fucking Mikael of all people but you can't make time for your own submissive? What kind of bullshit is that?"

"Fuck you!" Tyler growled. "I haven't abandoned him! I'm just busy Damon; surely even you can understand that! I have important things to do!"

Damon raised an eyebrow, "So you're saying Jeremy isn't important?"

"What? I never said that—don't twist my fucking words!"

"You just said you had more important things to do than check up on him, I'm merely quoting you. But you and I both know the real reason you don't," Damon's eyes narrowed. "You can't face the fact that you have feelings for him."

Tyler shook his head with a harsh laugh, "I'm not having this conversation with you again Damon."

He turned away from him to go upstairs, stopping when Damon gave a sarcastic laugh behind him.

"Typical Tyler, running from your problems like a coward."

"I am not a coward!" Tyler hissed furiously as he whirled around.

"I think you are. Instead of admitting your true feelings about him, you make him feel lower than dirt and abuse your power as his Dominant to make yourself feel better! Instead of manning up and just _telling _him how you feel, you hide behind your marriage as an excuse! He's probably the best thing that ever happened to you and you're too scared to admit it!"

"I'm _not_ a fucking coward! I'm selling my soul to the devil and his daughter so that my family doesn't have to fucking struggle! I'm doing what needs to be done so we can keep living this _glamorous_ lifestyle you all love so much so don't you dare judge me and my actions!"

Damon stared at him, slightly shocked, before giving another short laugh.

"Wow, you're a fucking idiot. Actually, you're just vain, incredibly vain."

"The hell does that mean?"

"It means that _none_ of us gives one fuck about throwing expensive parties or eating fucking caviar and lobster every night or any of that bullshit you claim _we_ _all_ _love_. If you really think that about all of us then you don't know us at all," he shook his head. "Marrying Rebekah is only going to make you miserable Tyler and having money isn't worth being unhappy for the rest of your life! Why the fuck can't you understand that?"

Tyler resisted the urge to punch the wall; he was _so_ tired of having this same argument over and over with everyone. Damon was glaring at him and he sighed, fully aware that he deserved it but he just couldn't deal with it anymore. He made his decision and he was done trying to explain himself to everyone even though, deep down, he knew they were right. He _was_ a coward for running from the person he cared about the most, choosing to humiliate him to prove that his feelings for him didn't exist to everyone, including himself, instead of facing the truth.

"This is what's best for everyone," he muttered. "I need to get ready to meet with Rebekah."

He grabbed his briefcase and left briskly, taking deep breaths to control his breathing. Damon glared hard at his retreating form, clenching his hand into a fist so he wouldn't throw a wineglass at his back.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

Tyler threw his head back as he downed yet another shot of vodka; attending the art gala with Rebekah had been less than unbearable and after a heated argument in the limo he had requested to be dropped off at the nearest bar. Everything that had happened in the past couple of hours was starting to get to him and the only way he could think to take the edge off was to drink. He could hear Katherine and Damon criticizing him in his head and he snorted; they had _no_ idea how much he was suffering over this too. He missed Jeremy to the point where it nearly made him sick but they wouldn't see that. He was Jeremy's Dominant, therefore the boy was his responsibility; with the way he'd been acting and the way he had humiliated Jeremy…he wouldn't be surprised if he ended up hating him. His irrational jealousy was no excuse for treating him the way he did. He tapped his shot glass on the counter, "Give me another one."

"You're going hard tonight," the bar tender noted as he filled it up again. "Celebrating something?"

"Trying to forget," he muttered before throwing it back. "Again."

"This will be your ninth one Mr. Lockwood," the balding man looked hesitant. "Maybe you should go home."

"Again," Tyler glared at him. The man sighed before filling the glass as many times as Tyler told him to and the billionaire kept throwing them back until he couldn't see straight. He couldn't go home, he couldn't face his family; they all hated him for what he was doing. He couldn't blame them, he hated himself too. He hated that he was the cause of Jeremy's sadness, that he was playing these mind games with him when he didn't have the intention of hurting him, ever.

_If that wasn't your intention then why are you?_

_Because I'm a dick_, he snorted again and took his shot waiting for him; his vision started swimming, the alcohol swirled in his stomach uncomfortably as he thought about how he had failed Jeremy and he felt like throwing up. Why was he failing everyone around him? Why couldn't he be the person his family wanted him to be? Why couldn't he be the man Jeremy needed him to be?

"Hey handsome," a sultry voice interrupted his thoughts. He turned to where a lovely brunette with dark, mysterious eyes and curled brown hair sat next to him. "You look lonely."

Tyler stared at her, her blurry form not registering with him; did he know her?

"Want to buy me a drink?" she placed her silver clutch on the table, turning to face him with long, skinny legs. Her tight, short black dress left little to the imagination and he felt a stirring in his loins; a distraction was definitely something he needed. Rebekah would be furious if she saw him now. He sneered at the thought of his fiancée; she was the whole reason he was even here.

_Not true. You're here because you're not enough of a man to fix your problems and you think this will solve everything._

He called the bartender over and nodded in her direction; she thanked him before taking a sip. She put a hand on his arm, her foot sliding up his leg suggestively but he hardly felt it, the buzzing in his head making him feel nauseous. He hadn't been drunk in a long time, not since Jeremy had come into his life.

_God, Jeremy. What the hell am I doing?_

"What's your name, handsome?" she leaned closer, her hand stroking his arm. "I'm Hayley."

"Tyler," he answered gruffly before taking his twelfth—or maybe it was his twentieth—shot. Hailey smirked over her glass as she took a longer sip.

"Rebekah Mikaelson's fiancé. I thought I recognized you."

Tyler grunted but didn't comment; he wished she would leave him alone, he didn't feel like entertaining anyone when he felt so miserable. He'd hoped his anti-social attitude would put her off but instead she scooted closer to him and her hand traveled to the front of his pants, cupping him.

"Big boy," she murmured as she sucked his ear lobe into her mouth. "I bet she doesn't know what to do with that."

He shuddered and managed to keep the nausea down; he really should just go home, he could only imagine what his family was thinking right now.

"You wanna get out of here?" she murmured, her breath hot against his ear. "Let's go back to my place."

_Just let me drink._

Tyler grunted in reply and stood unsteadily, falling into the empty chair next to him; Hailey stood and grabbed his arm. He was immediately assaulted by her perfume; he thought he was going to be sick from the sweet smell. He liked earthy smells…he liked the way Jeremy smelled. He liked _everything_ about Jeremy. What the hell was he doing? Where was Jeremy? Why wasn't he at home with him?

_Because you're scared_.

Hayley pulled him onto the street and he was vaguely aware that some people were pointing at him and taking pictures; everything seemed so blurry and bright. He wanted to go back into the bar, it was darker there and he just wanted to drink himself into oblivion, or at least until Jeremy's face and his smile and his everything stopped haunting him.

He buried his head in Hayley's neck to hide from the brightness; more lights flashed around him. Hayley hailed a cab and one pulled up to the curb; she opened the door and pushed Tyler inside before climbing in after him, giving the driver her address. As the cab took off, Tyler started to feel numb, the movement of the cab nearly putting him to sleep. He felt his head being turned and a pair of lips on his and he kissed back, not knowing what else to do; her lips were too mushy and slick with gloss and they felt _wrong_. They weren't at all like Jeremy's lips; _where the hell is Jeremy? _Her tongue was in his mouth, probing his; he didn't know why he didn't push her off, he didn't want this, he wanted Jeremy. She tasted smoky and dirty and like the martini she was drinking. Jeremy tasted clean and fresh and a little like caramel; always good, never bad.

_Where is Jeremy? What the hell am I doing?_

He felt sick, especially when she straddled him and started kissing down his neck; he tipped his head back so he wouldn't throw up on her. Though she would have deserved it, because she was trying to make him do things he wasn't into but his body was betraying him. Jeremy flashed in his mind again; he was _really_ going to be sick if this car ride didn't end soon.

Mercifully the cab came to a stop at the end of a block and suddenly he was stumbling up some stairs to a hallway that was painted a light yellow and dimly lit. He heard a door being opened and felt lips on his neck again as he was pulled inside.


	19. Chapter 19

**Hello lovelies! Thank you for all the reviews! They are greatly appreciated. I hope you all will enjoy this chapter, which is extra long for you :) And a special thank you to the person who corrected me on Hayley's name! I appreciate it :)**

**Warnings: OOC-ness. I probably should have put this warning in the first chapter but I thought it was kind of obvious given the BDSM and D/s nature of this story. I know that Jeremy is not an emotional wreck in the show like in this story but Jeremy is also not a submissive nor a victim of severe physical and mental abuse. Please keep that in mind when reading! Thank you :) now enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries or any characters associated with it.**

* * *

"Thank you for coming," Katherine kissed Stefan on the cheek in greeting as she opened the back door for him. "I know that you are busy but I did not know who else to call."

"I'm never too busy for you Katherine," he gave her a light smile that she returned. "What happened? You said it was urgent?"

"Yes…something terrible happened at dinner last night and Tyler left and he never came home. I have tried calling numerous times and so has Damon but he will not answer."

"Why? Was he angry?"

Katherine pressed her lips together before relaying the whole story; by the time she was done Stefan's eyebrows were near his hairline.

"Why would he do that?"

"I do not know," she led the way up the stairs and stopped in front of Jeremy's room. "Jeremy is distraught Stefan. He was so upset last night he spent a half hour in the bathroom throwing up his dinner. I was scared to leave him alone so Caroline and I stayed with him until he fell asleep. Tyler did not even come to check on him, he did not even call."

"And he never came back?" Stefan's brow furrowed; this sounded like the reckless Tyler from high-school.

She shook her head sadly, "I do not know what came over him. I have never seen him get so aggressive with any of his submissives, this is the first time I have ever seen him use humiliation as a punishment. I understand that he is angry with Damon and me because we are meddling in his relationship with Jeremy but the way he has been treating him has been horrid! He is just a boy! He does not deserve to be ridiculed in his own home! He should feel comfortable and safe here."

"I know what you mean," Stefan sighed. He had looked into Jeremy's past when he'd first met him and he couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Jeremy was just a lonely kid who only wanted to find somewhere to belong and he was shut down at every turn. It was a wonder that he hadn't just given up and turned to a life of crime. "How long have he and Tyler gone without speaking?"

"A week until last night, the first time he came out of his room for dinner. He cannot live like this Stefan."

"Let me talk to him," the younger Salvatore brother knocked on the door gently. "Jeremy? It's Stefan, can I come in? I want to make sure you're alright."

There was no answer but the movement of something under the sheets. Stefan looked back at Katherine before twisting the handle and pushing the door open silently; he was met with the depressing sight of Jeremy bundled under the blankets holding his pillow in his arms. Behind him, Katherine breath hitched; he made sure the door was closed before he went and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Jeremy," Stefan said softly, "what's going on?"

"Nothing sir, I'm fine," Jeremy's answer was dull and automatic as he sat up.

"I don't think you are. You haven't been eating, Katherine tells me you always say you're tired but you spend most of your time in bed. What's wrong?"

Jeremy shook his head while he took a shuddering breath, "I…just don't feel well. Tell the Mistress not to worry about me anymore, it's just a cold."

Stefan turned his head towards him, noting the way Jeremy flinched at his touch.

"I'm not going to hurt you Jeremy," he murmured. Jeremy swallowed heavily and nodded once, his eyes fixated on his hands gripping the thick comforter.

"What happened at dinner last night?" he asked tenderly. If he was going to approach the subject of his ex-submissive then he needed to do so with care.

"N-Nothing happened," Jeremy pulled away from him, scooting back a little bit. "It was…it was fine."

"I know how hard humiliation can be on someone, especially someone who doesn't see it coming or doesn't find pleasure in it."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he muttered quickly, the tears starting to pool in his eyes. He refused to let them fall; he was stronger than that, at least that's what he kept telling himself. "Nothing happened."

Stefan smiled sadly; dealing with submissives who had been humiliated was often difficult because of the emotions they felt while trying to process why it happened to them. Some submissives found pleasure in being humiliated but that certainly wasn't the case with Jeremy; he could tell the pain of being degraded was something he knew all too well.

"It's good to talk about it Jeremy, talking can really help—"

"I don't want to talk about it!" he said sharply, raising his head to glare at Stefan. "Just leave me alone! I'm coming down w-with a cold and I need to sleep! I just need to sleep."

One tear fell and he wiped it away sharply. _Don't you dare cry, you're stronger than this_ he repeated in his head; he had endured worse than this, crueler things had happened to him than being humiliated by someone he thought had genuinely cared about him, someone he _loved_. He'd experienced hell and he'd survived, he could deal with this.

It didn't help that he felt like he was dying on the inside.

"Jeremy…please, talk to me," Stefan's hand was on his back, rubbing gently. He was reluctant to admit that it comforted him. "I want to help you."

"Why would you want to help a slob like me? I'm sure you have better things to do than waste your time with a worthless orphan."

"You're not a slob or worthless Jeremy. Why would you think that?"

"I disgust my own Master," his tone was harsh. "He can't stand to be around me because I can't do _anything_ right. Why bother with me when he doesn't?"

"Because I don't think that about you and neither does Tyler. He didn't mean that Jeremy, he was just angry," Stefan soothed. "Tyler says things he doesn't mean when he gets mad, that's not what he really thinks about—"

"You don't need to spare my feelings, I can handle the truth," Jeremy shook his head with a bitter laugh. "No matter how hard I try to be what he needs I'm not good enough. I've tried to be the best submissive I could but I always do something wrong and now…I don't know what to do to make him happy anymore. I don't even know if I can."

"Jeremy that's not true," Stefan squeezed his shoulder but he flinched and pulled away, wiping more tears out of his eyes.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore, just leave me alone."

"Alright," Stefan conceded, knowing he wouldn't get any more out of him. "If you need anything, or if you want to talk, don't be afraid to ask any of us. We're all here for you Jeremy; you're not alone."

Stefan stood quietly as Jeremy lay back down and his heart broke for him; it was clear how much Tyler's rejection was tearing him apart. He walked slowly to the door, giving him time to change his mind; he turned back when he opened the door and sighed when Jeremy didn't make any indication for him to stay. Stefan pressed his lips together, conflicted on whether he should stay or go; deciding the latter was probably better he exited the room and closed the door gently, facing Katherine, Caroline and Damon who were leaning against the wall.

"How is he?" Katherine asked hopefully. Her face fell when Stefan shook his head.

"Not good. He's self-loathing—he made it clear that he hates himself for not doing more to make Tyler happy. He thinks it's his fault."

"_Ma pauvre chérie_," Katherine sighed heavily. "Is there any way to make this better for him?"

"Right now, all we can do is be there for him; when he's ready to talk, he will. It's a good thing you were with him last night; this would be a lot worse if he was left alone."

"It would have been better if Tyler was here doing what he was supposed to do," Damon grumbled. "Where the hell is he?"

"I don't know, his phone is going straight to voicemail now," Stefan pinched the bridge of his nose. "I didn't think we'd have to deal with this again."

"I will try calling his office before going into work," Katherine kissed both brothers on their cheeks before taking Caroline's hand and walking to their room. Damon and Stefan shared a look before they turned towards the stairs; they walked down to the bar in silence and Damon took a seat, watching as Stefan pulled a bottle of rum from under the wooden shelf on the other side and two short glasses that he filled with ice. He filled their glasses halfway and passed one to his brother before he came and sat next to him, sighing deeply.

"So I'm going to assume he was a lot worse than you let Katherine know."

"He's a mess Damon. He's given so much of himself into this relationship he's started suffering from withdrawal symptoms. This is worse than the sub-drops—this could have lasting effects on him."

"Jesus," Damon took a sip of his bitter beverage. "I don't like involving myself in people's business but we can't let his keep going. We've seen what this does to submissives—it's cruel to not stop it."

"There's not much we can do in regards to Jeremy; if he doesn't want to leave Tyler then that's his decision. We can't force him to leave his Master."

"Then we need to make Tyler let him go! If this keeps going it's not going to end well, he barely eats, he doesn't leave that room! All he does is lie in bed all day and cries when he thinks we can't hear him! He's lost himself Stefan—Tyler abandoned him and he has no idea who he is without him. We both know how that ends with someone as fragile as him; Jeremy's going to drive himself crazy and it could lead to suicide."

"We can't make Tyler do anything as a Dominant—we can only suggest that he do the right thing for him. If he can't see how much he's suffering then that just shows he's not a good Dominant."

"We all know that won't happen," Damon snorted. "He's never going to admit that he's wrong."

"Then we guilt him into it," Stefan took a long drink before facing his brother in his chair. "It's clear that Tyler's feelings for him are deep and that he's doing all this because he wants to prove to us that he doesn't feel anything for him. So we turn it around—tell him that Jeremy's going to be screwed up for the rest of his life if he doesn't quit being selfish and let him go now."

"He won't see it like that. I'm Jeremy's God Dom—if Tyler lets him go, he's going to be in my care and that's the last thing he wants. He doesn't like me close to him."

"Do you want to take care of him?" Stefan asked in surprise. "You know you don't have to."

"I want to dominate him, surprisingly," Damon finished his drink before pouring another glass. "He needs help—he needs _my_ help. Tyler's screwed with his head so much I'm surprised he hasn't burnt out yet. He's a good kid, he deserves better than this."

Stefan stared at him; Jeremy must have truly struck a nerve in Damon to have him want to take him under his wing. As far as he could remember, Damon never had a male submissive.

"But Jeremy's…needy, Damon. You don't do well with needy; you usually pass them off to me."

"I know…but he's different," he muttered. "He's scared and alone and all he wants is for someone to show him they care. He just wants structure and love, two things that he's lacked in the past and I can give him both in my own way. If no one steps up to help him he's going to believe that he's not worth anyone's time and he's never going to get the help he needs. He needs a Dominant that will let him grow and let him become who he wants to be instead of suppressing him and he's got a lot of growing to do."

"How do you think Katherine would…feel about that?"

"I don't think she's mind—I wouldn't be sleeping with him. I would just be his mentor…his friend. He doesn't have too many of those, just that one girl that works for Tyler. I don't even think he talks to her anymore; they haven't seen each other in months."

Stefan noticed the slightly melancholy tone in his brother's voice and his curiosity rose; what was it about Jeremy that made Damon want to get involved? Needy submissives usually turned Damon off because he didn't want them getting attached and Jeremy was the kind of person to get attached very quickly, as they had seen with Tyler. He needed constant reassurance and attention to feel like he was wanted and Damon liked those who were independent and knew their self-worth yet loved submitting to others for the pleasure it gave them. It seemed odd for him to take a submissive like Jeremy now…and then it hit him.

"He reminds you of Andie," he murmured. Damon's lack of reply gave Stefan his answer.

"He also reminds me of you."

Stefan turned away and finished his second drink before pouring his third; he was acutely aware of Damon's eyes on him now. "How so?"

"Jeremy's past is similar to yours and Andie's—you both had the same problems he does. I can help him like I helped Andie—like Mason helped you. It's people like him who need the most help yet they're too scared to go find it themselves because of what they think will happen to them."

Stefan finished off his drink quicker than the previous two and set the glass on the table, unwanted memories of his childhood flashing past his mind's eye. If Damon and Mason hadn't saved him, he was sure he would have been a severely damaged individual. Every day he was thankful that he was blessed with an older brother who loved him more than he loved their father and didn't give a damn on upholding their family name by pretending to be a perfect family.

"You would be good for him," he muttered as he looked at the counter. "He needs someone like you looking out for him."

Damon set his glass down upon seeing his brother's mood change, "I didn't mean to bring up the past. I'm sorry."

"It's nothing," he shook his head. "It's just…memories."

"Have you told your…wife about your past?"

"No, she can barely deal with her own—she doesn't need to hear mine. Hers is…a lot worse, believe me."

"I find that hard to believe," Damon gave him a pointed look. "You need to tell her—that isn't something you keep from the person you're spending your life with. She deserves to know."

"She doesn't need to know this, no one needs to know," he whispered. "I've dealt with it Damon—I'm fine."

Damon watched his brother for a moment, knowing he was trying to convince himself as well as him. They both knew you couldn't just recover from something so extreme—this was something Stefan would deal with for the rest of his life no matter how much therapy he'd had, no matter how much Damon had done to save him. The memories were going to haunt them—both of them—forever.

"So if you were to take Jeremy as your submissive, he would live with you?" Stefan changed the subject. Damon sighed but let it go, for now.

"Yeah, Katherine thinks it's a good idea—she doesn't want him living alone. Can't say I blame her, the kid's a wreck."

"He should go with you now."

Damon snorted, "Tyler would never go for that."

"What if Tyler didn't have a choice?"

"What do you mean?" Damon's dark eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"He's been so busy with working and getting ready to get married he hasn't been around to care for Jeremy and it's been hurting him—to the point that it's destructive. You as his appointed God Dom have the right to question him on his judgment—Jeremy is your mentee and also your responsibility. You have every right to remove him from a situation that is…harmful."

"Then he'll just step up his game and make time."

"Not if I tell him that he's lost his privileges as Jeremy's Dominant; as Tyler's mentor, I tell him when he's right and when he's wrong and he listens. The guilt he'll feel will be too much, so much that he'll hand Jeremy to you. Then you can take over his duties, take Jeremy out of the house…you could even ban Tyler from seeing Jeremy if you need to and he would do it if he believed it was in Jeremy's best interest. Everything is in the best interest of the submissive."

Damon stared at him before a smirk spread across his face.

"I like the way you think brother. Who knew you were so conniving?" Damon chuckled. "That should give Tyler a good kick in the ass."

Stefan returned the smirk before his face became serious again, "I'm only guessing this will force Tyler to confront his feelings but I could be wrong. What if he doesn't go for it and he goes through with the marriage?"

"Then Jeremy still comes to live with me. I'll take care of him; help him build a life like I did for Andie and when Tyler sees how happy he is without him he's going to wish he never ran away from him. He'll be the only one who's miserable and maybe, just maybe, he'll divorce the witch before they have children."

Stefan laughed and raised his glass to him, "I like the way you think brother."

**Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

"It seems they've had a…falling out," Elijah looked out the cracked door in the pantry of the Lockwood kitchen for any sign of anyone. "He hadn't spoken to the boy in nearly a week, then he comes home one evening and makes him eat on the floor like a dog. He angered Katherine and Salvatore so much I thought they were all going to have it out in the living room. It was entertaining to listen to but I must agree that Tyler is a rather heartless bastard; we'd be doing the poor boy a favor by taking him away."

"That's because Lockwood is pathetic excuse of a man; degrading his own boy-toy to make himself feel powerful. Pitiful," Mikael chuckled. "So you think he's done with the boy?"

"He seems to want nothing to do with him but the Salvatores and Katherine swarm him like flies all day, babying him like a newborn. Lockwood spends all his time trying to avoid him but I'm sure he would notice if he went missing."

"Then don't act yet Elijah, the timing isn't right. I don't want them to suspect you. Do you know why they aren't speaking?"

"From what I've heard, the boy told Lockwood he had feelings for him and Lockwood doesn't want to admit that he feels the same because of his marriage to Rebekah."

"At least he has his priorities in order," Mikael chuckled. "Keep an eye on him; don't let him out of your sight if you can. Let me know if anything changes."

"Of course father," Elijah nodded as he hung up the phone. He slipped the phone back inside his jacket before straightening it and leaving the storage closet he was hiding in, glaring at the maids who stared at him a bit too long.

* * *

Katherine sighed as Tyler's phone went straight to voicemail as she entered her office building two hours later. She hung up and threw the phone on the loveseat near her window, not bothering to leave a message; if he hadn't called back after the first seven she left why would he respond to the eighth?

She set her tote down and leaned back in her chair, unclipping her hair and shaking it free with frustration; she and Stefan had even stopped by Tyler's office to see if he had gone into work but his assistant said she hadn't seen him since he left the night before. Katherine knew Tyler was angry but that wasn't any excuse for him to just disappear…unless something happened to him. Her stomach twisted at the thought of Tyler dead in an alley somewhere; if something bad had happened to her brother she would never forgive herself. They may have been fighting right now and she may have wanted to ring his neck but the last thing she wanted was for him to be in trouble and think that he couldn't turn to any of them.

Sighing she sat at her computer and started her work; her cellphone rang after an hour, startling her, and she shot up to grab it, thinking it was Tyler; her face fell when Stefan's name was blaring on the screen but she answered anyway, "Did you find him?"

"Not exactly…have you been online today?"

"No," she frowned, "why?"

"I know where he went last night."

"Is he alright? Is he hurt, is he in the hospital?" she questioned as she went back to her computer and got on the internet.

"Oh he's perfectly fine," Stefan sighed heavily, "he was seen last night at _The_ _Dirti_ _Martini_ with a socialite named Hayley Lewis and they were photographed leaving together…after they were photographed making out at the bar."

"_What_?" Katherine hissed, slapping a delicate hand on the clear plaster covering her wooden desk. "He was with a _woman_ the whole night while we were worried sick about him?"

"A woman that wasn't Rebekah."

"What in the hell was he thinking—there will be pictures of them everywhere!"

"There already are, I'm looking at them now," Stefan sighed again as he scrolled through the pictures of Tyler and the dark-haired woman posted on a gossip site, shaking his head. "All you have to do is type in his name and they're the first thing that pops up."

"_Il a perdu la tête!_ How could he do something so irresponsible!" she rose and looked out the window of the office building. "Everyone will be talking about this for days! And his mother…Jeremy! He cannot see these pictures, Stefan, they will destroy him! _Je ne peux pas croire ce qui m'arrive_—how are we supposed to fix this?"

"Let's figure out where he is first, I'm leaving the office now for the bar right now. Maybe someone has seen him since then. I'll call Damon and keep you posted."

She hummed in agreement and hung up, sighing as she ran a hand through her hair in frustration. This was going to look bad for all of them—Mikael had probably already seen the pictures and he would be _furious_; that was going to bring a new kind of drama she wasn't ready to deal with. And knowing Tyler, he would only make the situation worse because he clearly had no regard for how his actions would affect everyone involved with him. She sighed as she packed her purple tote before heading out the glass double doors telling her secretary she had to leave early to deal with family matters. She scowled as she thought about Tyler partying at all hours of the night surrounded by women while Jeremy was at home crying because of him; it honestly made her sick and when she saw Tyler, she was going to let him know just how sick it made her.

When she got outside she pulled out her phone and dialed three numbers, hardly waiting a second before someone answered.

"Nivea Police Department, what's your emergency?"

"I want to report a missing person, his name is Tyler Lockwood and he has not been home since last night and his family has been very worried about him."

**Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

Tyler sighed as he drank his fifth beer that day, wondering how he went from deciding to go to work to going to the bar so quickly; going to work was supposed to clear his head—and get rid of his nasty hangover—but then he had passed the bar at the end of the street and now he was nearly six beers in two hours later. He was begging for trouble; going to the bar day and night to drown his sorrows in alcohol wasn't healthy, especially problems he knew he could fix with just a couple words. But he was afraid of what the end result would be and he couldn't take chances with his family's future, he'd done enough of that in the past. As he nearly finished the bottle he wondered if he was becoming an alcoholic. Well better an alcoholic than a full-blown drug addict, he surmised.

"Mr. Lockwood?" a deep voice asked him. Tyler turned around and was staring at two police officers. He grabbed the leg of his shades and tipped them downward.

"Yes?"

"You need to come with us sir."

"What the hell for?" Tyler snapped. "I haven't done anything."

"A missing person's report has been filed on you sir. You haven't been home in over twenty-four hours and your family is worried because you haven't contacted them."

"Oh for fuck's sake!" he swore loudly, taking another swig of beer. Other patrons of the bar had paused to stare at him.

"Look officers, I understand that you're doing your job," his speech was slightly slurred, though no one could tell by his angry tone. "But since I'm obviously _fine_ I would appreciate it if you would just leave me here to drink in peace."

"We're going to need you to step outside sir," the darker-skinned man said gruffly. Tyler scoffed at him.

"I don't think so."

"Sir, you need to come with us or we'll have to arrest you for—"

"For what? For fucking drinking in the middle of the fucking day?" he snarled. "Get lost!"

"Let's cuff him," the first officer that spoke approached him and grabbed his arm roughly. "Tyler Lockwood, you're under arrest for—"

"Get the fuck off me!" he pushed the officer hard and he stumbled into a chair. The bar went quiet as they watched the altercation. "Leave me the fuck alone, I just want to fucking drink! Is that too much to fucking ask?"

"Sir, you just assaulted a police officer," the dark-skinned one approached him, ready to fight if needed. "You're going to have to come with us."

Tyler quickly downed the rest of his beer before rounding on the man, "I'm not fucking going anywhere, asshole."

The other officer had recovered and the two policemen lunged for him at the same time; even though Tyler was fit, he was no match for two of them when he was drunk and he found himself being turned around with his head on the bar and his arms being cuffed behind his back. They hauled him up as the first officer recited him his rights and he was dragged outside where the harsh sun hit his eyes. People had stopped to stare at him and to take pictures and videos; he groaned when he realized these would be all over the internet within an hour.

"Take your fucking hands off of me—do you have any idea who I am? I'll have your badges for this, you can fucking believe that you fucking pigs!"

An old-school red convertible pulled up behind the one he was about to be forced into; Tyler was nearly relieved when Damon and Stefan hopped out. Nearly.

"Thank God you found him!" Stefan approached them quickly, the smile leaving his face when he saw the state Tyler was in. "Why is he in handcuffs?"

"For drunken and disorderly conduct and assaulting an officer of the law," the dark-man skin spoke harshly. "I am aware of Mr. Lockwood's celebrity status but even he needs to be held accountable under the law."

"Oh fuck you! I didn't do anything!" Tyler exclaimed. "I was just enjoying my fucking drink and you came in with your high-and-mighty bullshit—!"

"Shut-up Tyler," Stefan's tone left no room for argument. He turned to the officers again, "Look, we don't need to cause any more of a scene here, he's clearly drunk. Let's just take him home and…forget this happened."

"Can't do that sir," the officer's glare matched Stefan's. "Lockwood broke the law."

"How much do you want?" Damon put his sunglasses on his head. "$1,000? $2, $3?"

"Like I said, Mr. Salvatore, I can't—"

"It's fine," the other man objected. "It was an accident. No harm, no foul, right Connor?"

The dark-skinned officer rolled his eyes before sighing. "No harm no foul. Consider this a warning."

"Thank you gentlemen," Stefan shook both their hands. They un-cuffed Tyler's wrists and he grumbled something under his breath before pushing past the brothers and getting in the back of Stefan's convertible. Damon and Stefan shared a look before getting back in the car.

"What the hell were you thinking Tyler?" Stefan snapped once they drove away. "You're lucky we showed up when we did or you would have been booked!"

"Jesus Christ I don't want to fucking hear this right now," Tyler groaned as he leaned over the door slightly, feeling sick again. Damon shook his head in disgust as Stefan continued to drive them to the Lockwood mansion; he may not hear it from them but he would certainly hear it from Katherine.

**Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

"What the hell is wrong with you?" the irate Bulgarian screeched as he came in the door, the brothers following. "_Avez-vous perdu votre esprit putain?_ Do you have any idea what you have done?"

Tyler groaned as he removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, "It's not a big deal—"

"Of course it is a big deal! It is all over the news! People are calling you an _ivre fou _and wondering if you are an alcohlic! Mikael has already called three times because he is _furious_ with you and for once I agree with him! Why did you not call any of us last night? We had no idea where you were and we were worried sick!"

"So worried you had the police come arrest me in the middle of the day?" he growled angrily. "So I wanted some fucking time to myself, that didn't give you the right to have me arrested in the middle of a bar like a criminal! And it's none of your business where the fuck I've been! If I wanted you to know where I was I would have called and told you!"

Katherine slapped him hard, which did nothing to help the pounding in his head. His head swung to the side and he stumbled slightly, fighting the sudden nausea that he felt.

"Jeremy needed you last night and you were not here! He thought something awful happened to you!" she hissed furiously. "Perhaps next time you decide to disappear you should think about how it will affect _him_ if you do not think that anyone else's worry is important!"

She stormed up the stairs and slammed the door to her office when she was inside, leaving a stunned Tyler in her wake. Behind him, Damon whistled lowly.

"Bet you wished you heard if from us first, don't you?"

Tyler glared at him before following in his sister's footsteps, making sure to slam his own door when he got to his room.

* * *

"Where did you get this information Mikaelson? I thought I told you we were done with this," Police Captain Galen Vaughn glared at Kol, holding the pictures of Mikael's website and the pictures of the boy and blonde girl. "This doesn't give us anything!"

"He's obviously stalking them! He's got tons of copies of pictures—the website all but says they're for sale! He's going to sell them like cattle and we're sitting here doing nothing to find them!"

"All I see is a name with numbers underneath. There is no dollar sign to indicate a price—for all we know that could be the number of times the page has been viewed. How do you even know that they live here? They could be from another country, did you even think about that Mikaelson?"

"You can't be serious!" Kol laughed in disbelief. "I am giving you a case here—what about the bodies in the warehouse! There had to be fingerprints or DNA or something you guys found—!"

"I already told you we didn't find anything! The place was wiped down so many times we couldn't even lift a sample of blood from the floor! We couldn't even identify the bodies because there were no fingerprints and no teeth!" Vaughn threw the papers on his desk and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I know that you and your father have your differences but what makes you think he's even committed a crime? There was little to no evidence that pointed to him killing Richard Lockwood or the disappearances of your brother or anyone else that's gone missing. He's never been present at any scene of any crime."

"Those pictures came from his personal computer and his office! I got them from a reliable source, I swear!"

"I believe you did but you know we can't use these," he waved the pictures around "because your reliable source took them without permission! Not only that, they don't really tell us anything! We already questioned Mr. Mikaelson about the warehouse and it's not even his—it's owned by the city and it was when you found it." Vaughn leaned forward, looking out the open door for a moment before looking back at him. "I understand that you're frustrated but this isn't our priority anymore, as ordered by Chief Burgon."

"But you haven't even checked the other warehouses—they're scattered all over the city!"

"We don't have the resources to do that Kol—this is not a priority for us! We barely have enough officers to cover all the homicide cases in District Five alone! We don't have the extra manpower to reopen a case that's been cold for years Mikaelson. I'm sorry."

Kol took a deep breath and let it out slowly, not even bothering to answer him. He would _never_ stop looking for his brother, for his captain to suggest as much was foolish.

"I think you need to take some time off."

"What? Why?" Kol cried. "This hasn't been interfering with my job at all!"

"I'm not doing this to punish you. It's just you've worked harder than any police officer in here. You have so many vacation and sick days you could give everyone in this department five of each. You're one of the best officers this squad as ever seen but even the best officers need to rest every now and then. Take some time to regroup…you might find what you're looking for when your head is clear."

Kol stared at Vaughn who was giving him a small smirk in return; he took the papers back from his captain and gave him a small smile. "Thanks Captain."

"I can only give you so much time off so make it quick Mikaelson—I don't need Burgon riding my ass any more than he already is. Take Donavan with you."

Kol nodded and left the office quickly, closing the door like Vaughn asked. It was a known fact that Police Chief Daniel Burgon was a big fan of Mikael Mikaelson because he donated regularly to the Nivea Police Department and the last thing he wanted was an open investigation with him as the prime suspect. Vaughn, like Kol and Matt, had long suspected Mikaelson of foul play and of using his donations to the department as a way to cover his ass; he knew Kol was driven to bring his father down and he would do what he could to help.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

"So? Do we have a go?" Matt asked, Rebekah's leg bouncing nervously beside him. Kol looked between them with a blank expression for a moment before a slow smirk spread across his face.

"Well we won't get a team…but we can search the addresses. Discreetly. If we find anything, we call it in."

"Good enough," Matt smiled widely and clapped his hands as he stood. "We'll nail that bastard this time. We've got everything we need; we just need to find solid evidence in those warehouses."

Rebekah beamed at her brother and stood to hug him tightly, "We can finally know what happened to our brother."

"Now I don't want you to get your hopes us Bekah—there's a good chance we won't find anything out about Klaus," Kol started as he pulled back to look into her eyes, "but if we can nail Mikael and get a confession we might be able to get a lead."

"My hopes are already high Kol—it's a little late for that," she laughed, feeling tears in her eyes. "You're good at your job—you both are. You'll find him, I know you will."

"_We'll_ find him," he smiled. "I got to let the Chief know I'm taking time off and then we can get lunch."

He threw the papers on his desk before leaving quickly; Rebekah turned to Matt and threw her arms around him as well.

"I can't believe we're finally going to get answers," she whispered into his neck. "Do you think he could…still be alive?"

"It's possible, we haven't found anything that indicates otherwise," Matt responded honestly, his heart thumping at their close contact. "Either way, it's good to have hope Rebekah."

"I've always had the hope that he was still out there. I've always let myself believe that he's somewhere safe, somewhere where he's happy," she pulled back, wiping her eyes. "I never stopped thinking that I'll see him again. He's my brother—I have to."

"You will," the blond officer stated softly, wiping away a tear on her cheek. "I think he's somewhere out there too Bekah and we're going to find him and put your father behind bars."

She nodded, suddenly captivated by his light blue eyes that were brighter with the sun shining in them; she never noticed how light they were, how beautiful they were. Everything about Matt was just…perfect. The thought made her bite her lip as she thought about what to say; so many things were going through her mind she didn't notice that Matt had stepped closer to her, hand cupping her cheek tenderly.

"You're beautiful," he murmured with a small smile. She couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face, heart beating faster at his words.

"I—"

"We're cleared! Let's go," Kol had re-entered the room, making Matt take a quick step back. Kol gave him a pointed look before going to get his things from his desk. Rebekah quickly grabbed her purse and turned just in time to catch the car keys Kol threw at her. "Go start the car—you shouldn't be seen leaving with any of us in case the paparazzi are out there."

She nodded, looking back at Matt for a moment before leaving. Kol waited for a few seconds to make sure she was gone before turning to his partner. "That's the second time I've caught you trying to make a move on my sister!"

"What—I wasn't making any move!" Matt protested. "Why would you say that?"

"I'm not blind—I know you two were about to kiss the other day before I walked in. It's obvious you have a thing for her."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he muttered as he gathered his paperwork out of his desk, closing it with a little more force than necessary. Kol smirked a little bit before gathering his own paperwork. He waited by the door for Matt to finish, locking their door when they were both out. When they both reached the elevator Kol spoke again.

"Be careful."

Matt gave him a questioning look, "What?"

"With Rebekah, be careful. My sister is…well she's a bit of a heart-breaker if you know what I mean. You're my best mate—I don't want to see you get hurt."

Matt stared at him; shouldn't he be telling him that he was going to beat him to a pulp?

"But…she's your sister."

"I know.

Matt looked even more confused than before; Kol laughed at his puzzled stare. "I've seen how she is with men. She plays with them like toys and she throws them away when she's done. She likes to play games. I don't want that happening to you."

The elevator opened and four officers came out, nodding at the two officers; Kol stepped in and waited until Matt was in before pushing the button to the ground level. "Trust me Matt, you don't know her like I do."

"Yeah," Matt muttered. Kol noticed how the blond looked at the floor rather than at him and he felt a little bad for marring his sister's image. It was only fair of him to warn his best friend; Matt was a good guy with a big heart and he didn't deserve to be taken for granted.

* * *

"I'm glad you're feeling better Jeremy," Caroline said happily a couple days later as she flipped through the channels for something to watch. "We still have plenty of movies to catch up on."

"Please, no more romance movies," Jeremy chuckled. "If I watch one more movie like _The_ _Notebook_ I'll officially become a girl."

"Oh come on! _The_ _Notebook_ is one of the greatest love stories of our time! I know you secretly loved it!"

"I'm not saying it was bad…I'm just tired of watching love stories," he mumbled. Caroline smiled sadly and squeezed his hand.

"Fine, we'll watch _Pirates of the Caribbean _or something. Those are about pirates and there's swords and fighting and all that stuff boys like."

"Thank you," Jeremy laughed. Caroline laughed as well and pressed the down button on the remote, her eyes widening when she stopped on the news channel and she saw pictures of Tyler all over the screen with the headline, 'Daytime Drinking Drama'. Jeremy's mouth dropped slightly when a video of Tyler being dragged out of the bar in handcuffs started playing, clearly drunk and belligerent as the television bleeped out half of his words.

"This video was taken and uploaded by someone on the street who was present when Mr. Lockwood was escorted out of the bar in handcuffs. He described him as acting 'wild and out of control, swearing like a sailor,'" the woman reported.

"Oh my God," Caroline muttered. "What is Master Tyler doing?"

"This video is one of many videos taken at the scene—photos of the 22-year-old billionaire were taken at a bar with a mysterious young woman and they look quite cozy—"

More pictures of Tyler were brought on screen, this time ones of him and a woman sitting rather close at a dark bar; from the angle of the pictures, it looked like they were doing more than just talking. Jeremy's heart sank to his toes as each picture was enlarged and displayed on the screen; that was definitely Tyler, with a woman that wasn't his fiancée.

_She's the reason he didn't come home_, Jeremy thought numbly as another picture came on the screen. _He was with her. _

_You knew this would happen, _his mind sneered. _People always get tired of you, they just take you in because they feel sorry for you. Pity can't last forever—of course he would find someone else that was better._

_That's not true,_ he thought desperately. _He cares about me…he told me so._

_To sweet talk you into bed moron. He bought you all those things, gave you that necklace because he wanted in your pants and like a fool, you gave in. You couldn't have honestly thought that he would pick you over all those men and women who are richer and better than you'll ever be. _

His eyes started to water as picture after picture came on the screen, his mind serving him with images of Tyler and this woman naked in bed together, of them laughing and enjoying each other's company; his Master was off having a good time with another woman while he cried in Katherine's arms because he thought something had happened to him…but he had gone to a bar and found a woman to go home with. His Master, the man he loved, had left him for another woman. He stayed the night with her and didn't even come home. He didn't even bother to call and let them know he was still alive. He didn't let _him_ know.

_Why would he tell you anything? He doesn't owe you anything! He doesn't love you! Obviously he doesn't, look at the pictures! That is what you're love means to him, it doesn't mean a damn thing. __**You **__don't mean a damn thing to him._

"Ms. Mikaelson, the long-time fiancée of Lockwood could not be reached for comment at this time—"

Suddenly they were looking at a black screen; Caroline had turned the television off and turned to Jeremy with wide eyes, "Jeremy I'm so sorry!"

"It's…it's okay," he said numbly, his eyes still on the television. "You didn't…you didn't know Care. It's okay."

"I'm sure it's not what it looks like—"

"I think…it's exactly what it looked like," he tried to take deep breaths to try and calm himself down but his throat felt dry and fuzzy. "It's exactly what it look like Caroline."

"No, no, let's not jump to conclusions," she put a hand on his shoulder, surprised when he flinched at the touch. "Jeremy—"

"There's no explanation to give," he got to his feet, just noticing the shaking in his hands. "It's clear what happened…he doesn't—there's no need for him to explain himself. I'm just his submissive, I'm not his…" he trailed off, swallowing heavily as a tear fell. He wiped it away hastily and started walking out of the room, Caroline following him. He hardly realized that he was going upstairs to his room or that Caroline was trying to grab his attention, his mind too focused on the pictures he'd just seen. It was blatantly clear that nothing was going to change; no matter how much Jeremy tried to make Tyler happy, it was clear that he had angered his Dominant to the point that he didn't even want him anymore. And he wasn't going to wait around for Tyler to tell him that he was no longer wanted and kick him out.

He went to his closet and pulled out his old duffle bag that he had brought his only possessions in, opening the bag and seeing all his things inside he never bothered to unpack except his clothes. He felt at the bottom for his wallet and opened the beaten brown piece of leather, sighing in slight relief when he saw the $400 he'd saved from his job still there. He ran to the drawers and threw all the clothes on the floor, pulling out his old, worn t-shirts and finding his two pairs of holey jeans at the bottom of the last drawer, along with his three pairs of once-white socks. He stripped out of the clothes he was wearing and threw on a pair of his baggy jeans and a faded grey T-shirt and shoved his feet into his worn sneakers; he went to the closet again and pulled out his old black hoodie, slipping it on just as Caroline walked into the room.

"Jeremy—what are you doing?" she gasped as he zipped the bag and slung it over his shoulder. The look he gave her was so full of pain she had to take a step back.

"I can't do this anymore Caroline," he looked at the ground. "I can't live like this. I can't take the humiliation and the punishments and this—" he sucked in a shaky breath. "He knows how I feel about him—he's doing this to hurt me. He's doing this to—to show me how much my feelings don't matter to him."

"No, no that's not it at all!" Caroline shook her head frantically. "He would never do this on purpose to hurt you Jeremy, Master Tyler isn't like that!"

"I never thought he would make me eat on the ground either," Jeremy gave a humorless laugh. "There are a lot of things I never thought he would do but once again I was proven wrong. I always seem to trust the wrong people and I always get this hope that everything will be okay and it never is. I should know by now that when something seems too good to be true, it usually is."

"You're wrong," she said quietly. "He cares about you—I know he cares more than you thi—"

"No he doesn't! He doesn't give a damn about me!" Jeremy snapped, making Caroline jump back in surprise when he raised his voice. "He _never_ cared about me, he just wanted to control me and—and get me into bed and like the pathetic fool I am…I fell for it because I really let myself believe that he could actually love me! But he's Tyler Lockwood, he has the world eating out of the palm of his hands, why would he care about someone like me?" He wiped the tears out of his eyes. "He got what he wanted, now he's done with me and I'm just sitting here crying like a baby wondering when he's going to throw me out and I _can't_ do it anymore Caroline. I just can't."

He pushed past her stunned form and walked out the door; he hoped that the Mistress wouldn't see him leaving. She had been so good to him and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her feelings. He would miss her and Caroline dearly but he couldn't think of any other solution. If Tyler was going to do everything he could to hurt him, he would rather remove himself from the situation than sit around holding on to hope that things would get better.

When he reached the front door Caroline called his name loudly from the bottom stair; she ran to him and threw her arms around him, holding tightly, and he couldn't help but hug her just as hard. He bit his lip as he felt the familiar pain of leaving a place he called home once again but he couldn't let that stop him; he pressed his nose to her hair before pulling back and wiping away the tears that started falling down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry Care," he murmured. "I wish things could be different."

"I know," she whispered before kissing him on the cheek. "Mistress and I are going to miss you."

"I'll miss you guys too. Tell her and Damon and Stefan that I'm sorry," he took a shuddering breath, "and tell Tyler that…that I'm sorry I couldn't end our contract in person."

She nodded and hugged him one more time before he left her embrace; he felt the necklace Tyler gave him around his neck and he unfastened it handing it to her. "He can give this to someone he thinks deserves it."

He turned quickly, closing his eyes to keep the tears in as he ran out the door; Caroline looked at the necklace in her hand before watching Jeremy leave the gate and run down the street with her still falling tears.

**Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

"He left the house," Elijah whispered quickly, covering the phone as he watched Caroline from a hidden corner in the hallway. "I believe he's going downtown towards the Third and Fourth Districts on the bus. If we are to act on this we need to do it quickly."

"Good work Elijah, leave the rest to me," Mikael hung up quickly before turning to the two men sitting at his desk. "The boy is going downtown alone by bus. I trust there will be no problem."

"No sir," a man with a full beard covering his thin lips smirked as he stood. "Which warehouse will he be going in?"

"The one at the end of District Five. Be quick and discreet, I don't want _anyone_ to see him disappear."

The two nodded and walked out the room, Mikael watching them with an evil smirk spreading across his face.

* * *

**Don't forget to review! Thank you!**


	20. Chapter 20

**You guys seriously rock for the amount of love you have shown this story! We've hit over 25,000 views! Thank you to everyone who has checked this out, I seriously did a mini happy dance when I saw the number :) I've kept you all waiting anxiously long enough so on with the chapter! Tell me what you think.**

**Warnings: violence (nothing too graphic) and OOC-ness.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

* * *

"Sir, Stefan Salvatore is here to see you. He's in the waiting room."

"Send him in," Tyler sighed heavily as he leaned back in his leather chair at his office in Lockwood Enterprises. "Tell him to make this fast, we're busy."

"Yes sir," his brunette secretary nodded and walked out. Tyler sighed inwardly when Stefan walked in and immediately shut the door; he could tell that whatever he wanted to talk about was going to piss him off.

"We need to talk." He wore that expression that Tyler hated.

"Was it really necessary for you to come to my office Stefan?"

"Yes, since you're never at home anymore. Why is that?"

"I have a lot of work to do. The quarterly reports are due soon and I need to make sure everything is running smoothly with each company."

"Alright," Stefan sat down in front of his desk. "I'll get to the point then. Since you're getting married in a few months and you obviously don't have time to care for Jeremy anymore, you need to sign him over to his God Dom."

Tyler paused in his writing and his eyebrow twitched. "You mean Damon."

"You did appoint him as your first choice if you had submissives that need caring in the event that something happened to you."

"Nothing's happened to me Stefan," Tyler bit out, "I'm sitting right here aren't I?"

"You know what I mean Ty," he gave the billionaire a pointed look. "You need to do what's best for Jeremy."

Tyler sighed and took his glasses off, rubbing his eyes with one hand.

"I am not going to talk about this right now," he looked Stefan straight in the eyes. "I have a lot of work to do. This can wait until later."

Stefan stared at Tyler as he went back to writing, "So that's it. Jeremy's well-being just has to wait."

"You heard me Stefan, I have a lot—"

"—of work to do," he laughed and shook his head, "Does Jeremy have to be dying for you to care about him these days? Why did you take him as your submissive if you were just going to throw him to the side like one of your conquests?"

"He's _not_ a conquest!" Tyler snapped angrily as he threw his notepad on his desk. "What the hell gives you the right to speculate on my relationship with him? Since when do all of you know what's best for _my_ fucking submissive? You _don't_ know him!"

"And you obviously don't see the kind of pain you've been causing him!" the elder retorted. "Maybe if you got your head out of your ass and paid attention to someone other than yourself you would see how miserable he is!"

Tyler narrowed his eyes, feeling anger building within him. "I will tell you what I told Damon and Katherine, what goes on between me and Jeremy is none of your business, so back off!"

"Wrong, it ismy business," he snapped back. "It's Katherine's business because she is the one who is making Jeremy get out of bed, it's Damon's business because he's making sure he eats, it's my business because you were my submissive once and I taught you better than this."

"So that's what this is about, because you think I'm making you look bad? Is this the part where you say you're disappointed in me?" Tyler asked with a small smirk.

"Do you hear yourself?" Stefan asked incredulously. "You may think that you can fool me with your blasé attitude Tyler but you just sound like an asshole. I thought you had more common sense to know what happens when you deprive a submissive of the attention they need, especially someone like Jeremy, but you don't seem to even care. Jeremy is losing his mind because he has no idea what he's done to lose your affection and he has no idea how to make you happy because you won't talk to him! You've made him hate everything about himself when he's not even the problem; it's you and your stubbornness to accept your feelings for him!"

"For Christ's sake—what is it with you all and my feelings?" Tyler laughed harshly. "I am _not_ in love with Jeremy! I don't know how many fucking times I'm going to have to tell you all that!"

"Just because you keep saying it doesn't make it true," Stefan placed both hands on the desk and leaned forward. "You can tell yourself that lie however many times you want but deep down you know the truth and you're angry with us because we know it too. The only one who doesn't know is Jeremy and you would save him and you a lot of misery if you just _told _him."

Tyler glared at him before turning his back and looking out the window; his mind taunted that Stefan was right but he ignored it. It didn't matter what he felt for Jeremy because there was nothing he could _do_ about it. He was bound by contract to Rebekah and he would lose his whole world if he didn't stick to that contract. One person couldn't make up for years and years of hard work. He heard Stefan sigh and he could envision the look of disappointment he had on his face.

"I know you think you are doing the right thing by not leading him on but the reality is that he needs you. He's hurt and he's confused and he's spiraling Tyler—he's spiraling badly. If you don't do something to make this right he's going to be worse than before you met him. Is that what you want?"

Tyler pressed his lips together for a moment and took a deep breath. "It's better for him to hate me then for me to lead him on anymore. At least this way, he'll get over me faster."

"Even you know that sounds ridiculous! He'll never hate you and he'll never get over you Tyler. You're the first person—the first man—he's come into contact with that hasn't wanted to beat him, you're his first love, his first _everything_. He's changed so much for you and you can't even see it! The submission has gone to his head and now he's not even the same person he was when we first met him! His entire world revolves around you and he has no sense of who he is anymore! If you really care for him like I know you do, you'll put him out of his misery and let him go or you'll tell him how you really feel!"

Stefan's phone rang, interrupting Tyler's answer; his ex-Dom sighed and answered. Tyler could tell that the person on the other line was Katherine by the way she spoke rapidly in French and then English—her voice sounded almost frantic with how fast she was talking.

"What?" Stefan's tone was disbelieving. "How long ago was this?"

There was another few seconds of talking before he sighed deeply. "Yeah…alright, I'm coming." He hung up, pressing his phone to his head for a moment before putting it back in his pocket as Tyler turned to face him. "If you're not too busy with your work, you might want to come home."

"Why?"

"Jeremy left."

"What?" he snapped in surprise. "What the hell do you mean he left? Where did he go?"

"He didn't say, just packed his bag and left."

Tyler ran a hand over his face in frustration. "Why the hell—he knows better! I told him not to leave the house!"

"I don't think he has much regard for your orders right now," Stefan gave him a pointed look. "Let's just go."

The two hurried out of the office, Tyler yelling that he had a family emergency to his secretary on his way out; he hardly spared a glance at anyone as they left, pushing past Bonnie and muttering a quick 'sorry' to her on his way out. She watched them leave with a frown, curiosity spiking within her before her name was called and she pushed it to the back of her mind.

* * *

Jeremy managed to keep from having a break-down as he reached the bus station, hopping on one that went to the outskirts of District Four; he pulled out a dollar and handed it to the bus driver before going to the back of the bus to choose a seat; the bus smelled like sweat and piss and it hit him sharply what exactly he was leaving behind.

_This is a mistake_ he thought frantically. _This is a horrible mistake—get off the bus right now and go home. You don't have to do this, just go home. _

That sounded like the best plan; tell Master he was sorry and take whatever punishments he deserved. Then he would do everything he could to be the best submissive his Master had because he loved him, he _needed_ him. He wasn't going to survive on his own without him.

_Quit whining Gilbert, you sound like an annoying school girl. The man doesn't give a damn about you; all he cares about is keeping his money and his house. You're doing the right thing by leaving. You know how to take care of yourself—you were doing it before you met Lockwood and you can do it again. You __**don't**__ need him; you're pathetic for even thinking that you do._

Jeremy took a deep breath as his conscious—that sounded oddly like Bonnie—gave him a harsh reality check; he sounded pathetic. He _was_ pathetic for depending on a technically married man to provide for him; he was no better than the wealthy socialites he detested for having affairs with married men and then wanting them to leave their wives so they could take care of them instead. His stomach sank when he realized that his and Tyler' relationship was nothing more than an illicit affair; he had become one of Tyler Lockwood's many bed-partners and he hadn't even realized it until he stepped back to look at the big picture. All he was to Tyler was someone to pass the time with until he took up his duties as a husband; he was the idiot who fell so in love with him he couldn't see truth staring him hard in the face. He gave Tyler all of him and it didn't mean anything to him.

He let out a choked sob as the bus started hurtling down the street and he leaned against the scratched-up glass, looking at the marvelous buildings of District One through blurry eyes before squeezing his eyes shut to stop the flow of tears. He made his decision and there was no turning back. He would figure the rest of his life out when he got to Bonnie's; for now he chose to look out the window, taking in the clean and beautiful streets of District One as the bus stopped three more times before moving into District Two.

The bus came to a stop at a street corner, the last in District Two; two men and a woman boarded the bus before it took off for District Two and Downtown. Jeremy paid little mind to the newcomers, not noticing the two men eyeing him before they sat next to him, his mind wandering to Tyler and if he knew he left.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

"Did Jeremy tell you where he was going darling?" Katherine asked softly as they all gathered in the living room. When Katherine and Damon had come in from shopping and found Caroline looking forlorn sitting on the stairs they immediately knew something was wrong. She was reluctant at first to tell them what happened for she was sure Jeremy didn't want any of them to come looking for him but they eventually extracted the story from her.

She shook her head, "I didn't even think to ask him—I was trying to get him to stay but—he said he couldn't do this anymore. He was so upset…I'd never seen him like that."

"The pictures sent him over the edge," Damon sighed. "Should we bother going after him?"

"Of course! He will not make it far without any money!" Katherine stood. "We cannot just abandon him. If he really does not want to stay here then he will go with you Damon."

"Maybe we should just let him go Kat," Damon said softly. "This is hard enough on him—he might not want to come back with us if we do find him."

"I do not care if he does not want to be found!" she said sharply. "We _will_ work something out! Tyler has made him quit his job and sold his previous home, we must give him _something_! We are responsible for him Damon! We cannot just leave him to fend for himself!"

"Hey, hey," he grabbed her arms and squeezed gently. "It's going to be fine, he'll be alright. He's a smart kid, he knows the streets. He's been alone before."

"That is the point! He should not be out there alone! He is _our_ boy Damon; we are supposed to look after him! We are all that he has left!"

"Katherine, he _will_ be fine," Damon said firmly. "He knows how to survive. But he's an adult; if he doesn't want to come back, he doesn't have to and you have to accept that. He's not a child."

"He is to me," she pressed stubbornly but sighed in defeat. She often forgot that Jeremy had been a survivor of the roughest district in the city. Losing Jeremy was like losing one of her children; he was precious to her and she had to make this right.

"He once told me he would always run away to his friend Bonnie's house when he ran away from his families," Caroline said softly. "He probably went there this time too."

"Which district?"

"Four, I think. He gave me this," she handed the necklace to Katherine. "He wanted me to give it back to Master Tyler."

She sniffed heavily and Katherine hugged her tightly, "Darling it is alright, it will all be alright, you did nothing wrong."

"I should have tried harder!" she cried into her shoulder, the tears she was holding in finally falling. "I'm sorry Mistress—I should have tried harder to make him stay!"

"You did all that you could _chérie_," she kissed her forehead and wiped her tears away. "We should start looking in District Four. Hopefully we will find him before Tyler finds out he is gone."

"Too late," Damon muttered when the door to the garage was thrown open. Katherine mentally prepared herself for whatever Tyler would have to say and by the enraged look on his face she knew it wouldn't be anything nice.

"What the hell is going on? Why did he leave?" Tyler snapped irritably as he glared at them. "Why the hell did no one stop him?"

"We weren't here," Damon glared. "Maybe he got tired of being treated like shit and decided he could do better elsewhere."

"What the fuck are you talking about? I haven't done anything—I haven't even seen him!"

"That is why he left! You are _never_ here for him!" Katherine retorted. "He is _your_ submissive yet it is always me or Damon or Stefan that makes time for him but never _you_! _You_ are the one he needs but you do not care about anyone but yourself! You chose to spend the night with some _femme salope_ instead of tending to him when he needed you the most and when he saw the pictures he had enough! So if you want to blame someone Tyler, blame yourself for not being a more sensitive Dominant."

She walked to him and thrust the necklace into his hand. Tyler stared at it for a moment, his stomach churning with guilt as he thought about those damning pictures. They had been playing on the news non-stop since they were taken on Friday; Jeremy would have had to see them at some point.

"Those pictures…they aren't what they look like," he sighed heavily. "I didn't sleep with her."

"Right, then where were you that whole night Cassanova? Why didn't you come back here if you didn't spend the night over there?" Damon snapped sardonically. "You really expect us to believe that _nothing_ went on between the two of you other than a cab ride?"

"I _didn't_ sleep with her!" he snapped. "Not that that's any of your business but nothing happened—nothing like what those pictures are making it out to be! I don't have time to explain this," he started for the door. "I need to find him."

"No, you don't," he came to stand by Katherine. "Let _us_ find him; you're only going to make this worse."

"He left because of me! I should be the one to find him to make this right!" he snapped. "Jeremy isn't your concern so I don't understand why you're so interested in him all of a sudden! He's not even your type Damon—he's not one of your easy sluts that gives it up for anyone!"

Damon laughed sarcastically. "He doesn't need to be _my type_ for me to care about him! I'm not like you Tyler—I don't need to fuck everyone I meet!"

"Go to hell you son-of-a—!"

"Guys," Stefan cut Tyler off. "Let's focus on finding Jeremy. Standing here insulting each other isn't doing anything."

"Like I said, _we'll_ find him. You've been so busy these past couple of weeks we wouldn't want to tear you away from such important work Tyler," he sneered. "I honestly thought you'd be happy he left—one less problem for you to worry about in your never-ending charade to keep up your appearances with your joke of a marriage."

"Tyler, let's go." Stefan threw his brother a warning glare before pushing Tyler out the door with more force than necessary. Katherine sighed before pulling her sunglasses onto her face.

"You look in District Four and we shall look in District Three. It takes longer for the bus to get to downtown than it does to drive—we should try to find him before he makes it to his friends' house."

Damon nodded, following Stefan and Tyler's footsteps out the door to his own vehicle.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

"Next stop: Downtown Nivea, District Four."

Jeremy's eyes opened blearily as the bus driver spoke over the intercom; he sniffed lightly as he looked out the window, seeing that it was finally dark outside. He really hoped that Bonnie was home; her neighborhood might not have been as dangerous as the one he'd lived in before but he still didn't wish to make himself a target by sitting outside. When the bus came to a stop he slung his bag over his shoulder and got off, not noticing the two men who followed him.

The brightness of the streetlights illuminated his path as he kept his head down, walking quickly so he could get out of the biting cold. He still had no idea what he was going to say to Bonnie when he saw her; how was he going to explain his absence for nearly three months? He knew she had her suspicions about Tyler and he knew how persistent she could be when she wanted answers. He would have to tell her some semblance of the truth; that he had fallen hard for the billionaire and he'd been rejected. The last thing he wanted, however, was for Bonnie to get angry and confront Tyler about what happened between them; he was certain she would lose her job then. Jeremy only prayed that Tyler didn't fire her after this; he would never forgive himself if she lost her job because he disobeyed his rules _again_.

He turned into a dark alley way, licking his lips in anticipation when he realized it was similar to the one he was attacked in months ago. He narrowed his eyes; from what he could see there was no one hiding or lurking around, waiting for some unsuspecting schmuck like him to pass by. He took a deep breath and started walking, getting lost in his thoughts again and not aware of the light footsteps behind him until he was grabbed from behind in a bear hug and forced to the wall. He shouted in surprise and tried to worm out of the strong hold; a fist hit the back of his head and he hit his forehead on the brick wall in front of him.

"You got the meds?" the man who was holding him asked gruffly. "Put him down before he wakes the whole neighborhood!"

Jeremy was flipped around and his back hit the wall; the man who had grabbed him had a full-beard that covered his thin lips, dark hair on his head to match it. His eyes were covered by dark sunglasses and he wore all dark clothing. His companion was bald, his dark skin blending in with the night and noticeably taller than both Jeremy and his accomplice. He too wore dark clothing and sunglasses and a smug smirk was on his face as his head moved up and down to look Jeremy over.

"Well isn't he pretty," he licked his lips. Jeremy shuddered at what he could be thinking. "What's your name boy?"

"Wh-Wh-What do you want?" Jeremy was trembling so badly he wouldn't be surprised if they could see it. The bearded man chuckled while the bald one licked his lips more.

"He's going to be happy with you…you're going to make him a lot of money."

Jeremy's eyes widened in terror; it was just his luck he would be attacked by snatchers. He would have preferred being beaten by the thugs than this—because snatchers were only after one thing and it wasn't his possessions. With as much force as he could he kicked the bearded man in his manhood and pushed him hard; the man grunted and pain and fell to the ground and Jeremy wasted no time in grabbing his bag and running as fast as he could to the end of the alley. He let out a cry of relief when he saw the lights at the end of the darkness and he doubled his efforts to reach it, he was almost there all he had to do was—

He was yanked back sharply by his bag and he fell to the ground with the strap wrapping around his neck, choking him as he was dragged backwards by the bald man. He tried to slip from under it but the man pulled hard, making his body slide across the gravel into the awaiting hands that grabbed him none too gently and threw him to the ground again; he landed on his hands, scraping them against the tiny pebbles of gravel.

"You little shit," the bearded man hissed as he rolled him onto his back with his foot. "That was a cheap shot boy."

Jeremy screamed in pain when the bearded man took his foot and stomped right in between his legs; he choked out another pained cry as he rolled to the side in a loose ball.

"Oi, you heard what the boss said! No bruises!"

"He said no bruises on his face, not anywhere else," the bearded man chuckled. "You really think this wretch is worth two mil?"

"Don't know—we could always try him out," the bald man grinned. "Give him a test run."

"But the boss said—"

"The boss will never know," he pulled Jeremy up by his hair, forcing him to his knees and his arms behind his back. "Let's see what he can do with his mouth."

"No—no don't!" Jeremy shook in horror as he struggled to stand against the hands holding him down. "_Help me! Someone help me please_!"

"Shut-up," the bearded man backhanded him against his temple, cutting him with his ring. "No one's comin' to get ya."

"Hey! Get the fuck away from him!"

"What the fuck—who the hell are you?" the bald man turned around. He let go of Jeremy when he saw two men wearing ski masks and holding guns pointed at them. Jeremy's eyes widened in sheer terror; could this get any worse?

"Kid, you alright?" one of them asked. Jeremy blinked, momentarily dazed before nodding. The man held a gloved hand out to him; he eyed it for a second before grabbing it and letting the man pull him up. "Get out of here."

Jeremy nodded, picking up his bag before running back towards the main street.

"I said who the hell are you?" the bearded man spat, keeping his eyes trained on the gun. "What business you got here? You just lost my product!"

"I should be asking you the same question but it's obvious what your _business _is," the second man snarled, his grip tightening on the gun. "You sorry piece of shit—do you get off on preying on the innocent?"

"Let's finish these punks," the first man narrowed his eyes. "Get them off the streets for good."

"Now wait a minute—!"

Two shots were fired from the first man's gun into the bearded man's face; the bald man turned around to start running when his companion fell to the ground dead, his big frame hard to miss though the alley was so dark.

"You going to get him?" the man took of his mask after re-holstering his gun, running a hand through his mused blond hair. "He's getting away."

"I know Matt," the second aimed the gun. "Give me one second."

When the bald man reached the end of the alley did the second man take his shot; his body fell face first with a heavy thump and was still.

"$10 says I got him in the head."

"No way, you're not that good yet."

"We'll see," he smirked as they walked to the huge fallen body. Blood poured from underneath the man's head and ran into the street, the hole made by the bullet that entered the back of his head looking particularly large in the orange light.

"Looks like you owe me."

"Shut-up Kol," Matt grumbled as he pulled his wallet out of his pants pocket and handed him $10. Kol accepted it and lifted up his mask with a cheeky grin.

"I'm getting as good as the Captain, maybe even better."

"Don't let him hear you say that."

Kol smirked; it left just as quickly as it came. "You think the boy is alright?"

"Don't know—hopefully he made it somewhere safe," Matt shrugged. "You brought the lighter?"

Kol waved it in front of him merrily, slipping his own mask back on before bending to light the fallen man's shirt on fire.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

Damon sighed for the umpteenth time as he looked on either side of the street for any sign of Jeremy; he wondered how _he_ was the one who wound up going on the chase for _Tyler's_ submissive but then he remembered how badly his best friend sucked at dealing with his feelings and his fucking temper. He had been entertaining thoughts of literally beating some sense into the stubborn billionaire when the car in front of him suddenly slammed on their breaks causing him to do the same; he could hear the man swearing profanities and yelling out his window at someone who had ran in front of him suddenly, other car horns honking at the person who he'd hit and knocked over.

"Watch where the hell you're going, kid! You're gonna get yourself killed!"

The person who fell in front of the car picked themselves up hastily and stuttered a quick 'sorry!' before running across the rest of the street. Damon swore when he recognized Jeremy and quickly got into the turning lane, cutting off another car and earning an angry honk.

"Fuck off!" Damon snarled as he turned the corner sharply; he rolled the windows down as he caught up to him. "Jeremy!"

Jeremy's head turned wildly, eyes wide with fear as he looked behind him but only saw the bewildered people he'd ran past; he wasn't stopping this time, he was going to stop running until he got to Bonnie's because those four guys could come after him any moment and he knew that if he was caught he would be forced into prostitution he would _never_ get out of it.

Suddenly a black SUV came on the sidewalk and blocked his path; his heart thudded in terror as he skid to a stop, tripping over his own feet and he went crashing to the ground banging his hands up even more. Those men had friends, he realized. They had called their friends and they were coming for him, they were never going to stop until they got him.

"Jeremy!" a familiar voice called his name. He could have cried when Damon hopped out of the vehicle, ignoring all the stares and finger-jabs he was receiving. "We've been looking for you everywhere—!"

He grunted, breath leaving him when Jeremy ran to him and crushed him in a bear hug; he wrapped his arms around him to steady both of them and keep them from falling. "Whoa, easy."

"Thank God," Jeremy whispered into his shoulder, his shoulders still shaking in fear. He let out a whimper when he felt Damon's arms come around him and he held on tighter. "I thought—I thought you were one of them."

"One of who?" he pulled back, holding him at arm's length. "Who were you running from?"

"Th-the guys they—they were—they said I was going to make...a lot of money," Jeremy shuddered. "They were going to turn me into a…" he looked away with trembling lips, not able to finish the sentence but Damon understood what he meant. His eyes narrowed as he looked down the busy street but no one stood out remotely as a snatcher.

"Get in the car," Damon murmured. Jeremy didn't think twice, wanting to get off the street as fast as possible. He sighed in utter relief as he sagged against the warm leather seat, letting the music wash over him. He was safe, Damon was here and no one was going to take him and turn him into anything.

Damon got in a moment later, throwing his phone in the opened compartment under his radio; he quickly rolled off the side walk and swerved into the middle lane before taking off way above the speed limit. "You alright?"

"Y-Yeah," Jeremy stuttered out. "Thank you."

"Had you seen those guys before?"

"No, they were just…they wanted me to…" he trailed off and looked out the window, giving a skeptical laugh. "I guess this is what I get for leaving."

"About that…Tyler's pretty upset, so if you were doing this to get his attention, it worked."

"I didn't do it for attention," he mumbled. "I don't want to live with someone who's always angry with me."

"Don't blame you kid. You hungry?" Damon turned the corner, by passing the freeway for District Once. "I could go for a burger right now."

Jeremy nodded unwittingly, suddenly feeling suspicious, "How did you find me? Did you know I'd be over here?"

"Luck," the raven-haired billionaire shrugged. "A little blonde birdie told me you always went to your friend Bonnie's house when you ran away from your foster families. And since she and Katherine are in District Three and Tyler and Stefan are in District Five and they haven't called to say they found you, I figured I was in the right area."

Jeremy sighed and looked straight ahead; of course Caroline would remember that bit of information. "You're taking me back."

"Don't sound so excited," Damon chuckled lightly. "But yes, Katherine has ordered that none of us come home unless we have you with us."

"Why?"

"Because she wants you home."

"I'm not—I can't go back," he shook his head.

"Why not?"

"He hates me."

"No he doesn't."

"How do you know?"

"He's my best friend. Trust me, I know."

Jeremy shook his head and looked out the window again. "I'm not going back Damon. I don't want to be constantly reminded that I'm not good enough."

"Who said you weren't?"

"He's made it clear he wants nothing to do with me," his voice wavered. "Could you just pull over? I can get to Bonnie's from here."

"And run into more snatchers? I don't think so," he gave Jeremy a pointed look. "I'd be the worst friend in the world if I made you walk to her house now."

"Friend?" he asked quietly. Damon laughed at the uncertainty in his voice.

"Yeah, those annoying people that care about you when you don't want them to. Why does that sound weird?"

"I…I don't know," he pinched the area between his eyes. "Why are you doing this Damon?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you taking me to get a burger? Why did you come looking for me—why did _any _of you come looking for me?"

"We didn't want anything to happen to you. And if we hadn't come looking for you, you'd be a lot worse off right now."

"Why?" he asked weakly. "Why do any of you care about what happens to me?"

Damon didn't answer right away; Jeremy thought he didn't hear him and he exhaled softly, dropping his head back against the head rest.

"We care about you because you're a part of our family and we always look after our own. Just because Tyler is acting this way doesn't mean he doesn't care and it doesn't mean we don't either. We would never abandon you."

Jeremy felt tears welling up in his eyes and he quickly turned his head, pretending to look out the window while he wiped them away hastily; Damon had sounded so certain and serious that he wanted to believe him. It made him realize just how much he cared about all of them too, how much they were family to him.

"So, we're going to go to this great burger place in the Third District and we'll talk. Then I'll take you to Bonnie's house if you still want to go, alright? Scout's honor."

"You were a boy scout?"

"No—I couldn't stand those whiny, self-righteous bastards," Damon's nose wrinkled. "I just like the saying."

Jeremy laughed lightly and consented. Damon watched him from the corner of his eye but he didn't turn to meet his gaze; instead he settled against the car window and let the soft R&B music fill the silence.

**Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

They drove to the heart of District Three which was busy for a Tuesday night; the parking lot of the restaurant was nearly full of cars from people going to get burgers or pizza and smoothies from across the street. When they entered the semi-crowded burger joint, people nearly broke their necks to get a look at Damon in all his dark clothes and leather glory ordering a burger. Jeremy lowered his head when he felt everyone's eyes turn on him too and told Damon he could pay for himself, grateful that the other man simply shrugged and left it at that. He could almost hear what people were thinking as they looked at them; what was that commoner doing with _the_ Damon Salvatore? How does _he_ know one of the Salvatore brothers?

"That'll be $6.75," the cashier didn't even spare a glance in his direction, her eyes completely focused on Damon next to him. When he had received his change from the $10.00 he gave her he filled his cup with Pepsi before going to a booth in the corner of the restaurant and tucked himself in the corner against the wall. Damon sat across from him and the stares of everyone followed before they resumed talking, quieter than before; some of them even pulled out their phones to take pictures, which bothered Jeremy but Damon seemed perfectly comfortable with all the attention he was getting.

"You get used to it after a while, all the looks," he leaned back in the booth and took a sip of his drink through the straw. "People will never stop taking pictures of you or staring, it's never going to go away, so you might as well just look pretty and hope they don't catch your bad side."

"I couldn't live like that," Jeremy said honestly. "I don't think I could live with knowing I was going to be followed around all the time and exposed every day."

"Believe me kid, there's no such thing as privacy once you're famous. You either deal with it or you never leave your house."

Jeremy looked away and said nothing, sipping lightly at is drink but not really tasting it as he looked out the window. Damon's laugh brought his attention back, "What?"

"Katherine, she wants to meet us here but I told her to go home," he chuckled as he texted her back quickly. "I know you're excited to see them but I told them to give us some time alone…unless you'd like to be babied in public?"

Despite the situation, Jeremy chuckled. "I'd rather not, thank you. I'm not ready to deal with the questions."

"Course," he stood when the woman at the cashier called their order numbers. Jeremy watched as he flirted with the waitress for a moment before bringing their food to the table. He mumbled his thanks as he took his burger and fries and took a bite of the greasy patty. It was silent for a while as they enjoyed their food; when Damon was three-fourths of the way through his burger he spoke again.

"We need to talk about some things."

Jeremy sighed, taking another drink of his soda. "I'm not ready to talk about him."

"I wasn't going to bring him up…but since you did, let me be the first to apologize for the sheer stupidity of my dear friend. He is…well to be honest he's completely incompetent when it comes to dealing with emotions and his temper is worse than a two-year-old's. His problems right now are not your fault. It's definitely him."

Jeremy smiled for a split second before looking down and taking another bite of his burger, mulling over everything that had happened with his volatile Dominant.

"I just…I wish I never said anything about my feelings," he murmured dolefully. "I know that I'm…not at all what he wants in a partner, I just…Caroline gave me this—this hope that it was possible and…I just believed that maybe…" he shook his head and smiled sadly. "I've ruined everything. I've disgusted him so much he can't even look at me anymore."

"You didn't do anything wrong Jeremy. It takes a lot of balls to admit your feelings to someone so props to you for bravery," the raven-haired billionaire leaned back in his seat. "Tyler is what I like to call emotionally challenged. He can handle emotions to a certain point and when he doesn't understand them he pushes away the person that makes him feel that way. He's got this thing about being in control of everything in his life; since he can't control emotions he chooses not to deal with them and you make him feel a whole spectrum of emotions he's never dealt with. This need to be in control of everything is why he lives the Dom/sub lifestyle and has a monstrosity of a company to run. It keeps him…sane."

Jeremy frowned slightly, "What do you mean sane?"

"I mean just that. Sanity is a very fragile thing Jeremy and some people have a hard time of keeping theirs…intact. But let's not get off track," he leaned forward. "What's your plan?"

"My plan?"

"Well you don't want to submit to Tyler so you'll have to cancel your contract with him. Once that happens he'll have to give you a certain amount of money that you can use to buy a place and food. He would have to keep supporting you, or give you enough until you found a way to support yourself. Then you're on your own, back to the vanilla way of living."

"I…I didn't really want to leave, I just…I felt like I had no choice," Jeremy said weakly. "I don't know what to do to make him happy anymore—I don't know how to please him and what good am I as a submissive if I can't please my Master? I was just afraid that everything would get worse and it would…escalate."

"What do you mean escalate?"

"It always does," Jeremy whispered painfully. "You think you're safe for a while, then the yelling starts, the cold stares, the angry looks…then they tell you everything that's wrong with you, why you're not good enough and then one day it all becomes too much and…the next thing you know…the hitting starts. But sometimes, it comes out of nowhere and…I didn't want that to happen again."

Damon blinked in surprise; he hadn't expected to hear that, though it did make sense for Jeremy to think that way.

"Tyler would never hurt you like that," Damon leaned forward. "He may be an asshole but if there is anything that he hates more than Mikael Mikaelson, it's abusers. He created a charity and multiple shelters around the city for people who seek refuge from abusive relationships and a special hotline that connects to the police department for anyone who wants to report abuse of any kind, especially child abuse. It's one thing he's extremely passionate about."

"Why?" Jeremy frowned, momentarily distracted by his curiosity. "He wasn't…?"

"No. He first had the idea when he discovered Katherine had an abusive boyfriend back when they were teenagers but the idea really soared when he met Stefan and me. My brother was the victim of child abuse and his story really pushed Tyler to make the idea come to life. It's one of his greatest accomplishments."

Jeremy's eyes widened; he had no idea that Katherine _and_ Stefan of all people were also the victims of abuse. He shoved a couple more fries into his mouth as he mulled over the fact that he and Caroline weren't the only ones who'd been through the trauma.

"Did he ever…I mean were their abusers ever…caught?"

"Yes, both of them were caught and thrown in jail." Damon pressed his lips together, deciding to keep the truth to himself. "But enough about that. How much money do you have with you?"

"I—I h-have enough," he stammered, his heart suddenly pounding.

"Seriously Jeremy, how much? Do you have enough for a place to rent? Enough for food? As Dominants we have to provide for our submissives when they want to leave, we don't just throw you guys out; we make sure you have everything needed to live comfortably."

"I don't want your charity," Jeremy mumbled, shoving a fry into his mouth. "I'll figure out something when I get to Bonnie's."

"You really didn't think this through did you?" Damon sighed and leaned back in his seat, "Well let me be the first to tell you that you're not going to survive this way. You haven't had to make decisions for yourself or work in months and having to do all of that again without easing into it is going to overwhelm you. You can't hit the ground running with this, trust me. It might not seem like a big deal but you'll be worn out after a week."

"Then what do I do? I don't want to have to depend on him anymore," he whispered. "I just want out."

"Out of the contract with Tyler or out of the lifestyle?"

"Is there a difference?" he sighed.

"There is a big difference—do you like submitting? And be honest, you don't need to hide anything from me."

Jeremy thought about this for a few moments.

"I…I've never felt freer than when he was making decisions for me. When I knew how to make him happy and I did everything right it was a really good feeling to know that someone cared enough to let me know how happy I made them," he sighed wistfully. "I thought that I found where I belonged but…but now…" he felt tears gathering in his eyes and he turned away.

"Hey, no tears," Damon handed him a napkin. "It's alright Jeremy, I understand where you're coming from. I can't imagine how hard this must be for you."

"What do I do Damon?" he whispered with glossy eyes. "I don't know where to go from here."

Damon watched him in sympathy. "I think that you should give Tyler another chance—I know that he's hurt you but he doesn't mean to Jeremy, really."

"I saw the pictures," he mumbled. "He went out with her the same night I really made him angry. Why would he go out with her if he wasn't trying to hurt me?"

Damon sighed heavily and cursed his best friend for the millionth time that evening; he wanted nothing more than to tell Jeremy that Tyler was acting out because of his feelings for him but at this point he probably wouldn't believe it if Tyler told him himself.

"I'll tell you what," he leaned forward. "You come home and give Tyler another chance—I think this was a huge wake up call for him and it'll get better for you after this. Give it a week—if nothing has changed and you don't want to live there but you still want a Dominant, I can find you someone I think would be a good match for you or you can be my submissive."

Jeremy stared at him in confusion. "You…you want to be my Master?"

"I prefer the term Dominant but yes, only if you want that. Tyler has appointed me as your God Dom if something ever happened to him and he had submissives that needed caring when he couldn't take care of them. When he got married you would have become my submissive anyways."

Jeremy stared at the table as he thought about this; he liked Damon, the older man was fun to be around and he was a Dominant at heart, which was what he needed but…didn't Damon have a thing with Katherine?

"But…I don't get how you're going to dominate me when you…I mean you and Katherine—the Mistress and Caroline are…" he trailed off when Damon laughed.

"Domination and submission doesn't always have to do with sex Jeremy. I can still be your Dominant and not sleep with you, which is great because you're not my type, sorry," he winked. "I would support you, make decisions for you, I would give you orders and you would follow them; it would be similar to what you had with Tyler…minus the sex. It's more about the power exchange—you give me power over you and in turn I control you, simple as that."

Jeremy pressed his lips together hard; truth be told he was scared he was going to get hurt again…but something told him that Damon would keep his word and keep their relationship to strictly the power exchange. Still, he was wary of him what with everything that had happened with Tyler.

"What kind of…things would you make me do?"

"Don't look scared," he chuckled again. "You'd have little things I want you to do here and there but I have a maid and a butler that takes care of most of the cleaning. I don't want you to sit at home all day so since your young and naive you'd be going to school; University of Nivea is my alma mater and I have plenty of connections. I would get you enrolled, you'd decide on a major that I approve of and you'd go to every class and do all your assignments. If you were struggling in a subject, you'd get a tutor. I'd be paying good money for your classes, you're not allowed to fail and let my money go to waste."

Jeremy's eyebrows shot up. "You want me to go to school?"

Damon nodded. "Having an education is important. Not only that, being uneducated is an unattractive quality. And while you're at school, you'd be going to counseling—don't look surprised, you and I both know you have a lot of issues you need to deal with and going to counseling will help you; I will set you up with the best counselor on campus. Your tuition fees include health services so you may as well use them."

Jeremy pressed his lips together and nodded; he couldn't deny that he needed to talk to someone about his problems. Going to counseling would do him a lot of good, as would going to school.

"Katherine wants Caroline to go too so you wouldn't be alone. We don't want the two of you to always have to depend on someone in case something happens to us and you need to support yourselves until you find another Dominant you trust. We want you guys to be able to fend for yourselves and the first step towards that is having a degree."

"Okay," he nodded, taking a bite of his burger. "I could do that. I've always wanted to go to school."

"Don't talk with your mouth full," he scolded lightly, making Jeremy blush. "And that's what I like to hear. What do you want to study?"

Jeremy took a moment to think about it before answering, "Well…I've always liked animals. I wanted to be a veterinarian or a zoologist was I was younger—I think marine biology would be interesting too."

"Oh good, you don't want to go into business," Damon popped a fry into his mouth. "When you become mine you'll come live with me since I live closer to the school. I'll tell Katherine to keep your room for you at her house—Tyler won't be living there after he's married and it'll belong to her and Caroline. You would be allowed to visit them when I say and you may stay the night if I deem it alright. Since they only live fifteen minutes away you would see them almost every day."

Jeremy nodded, wondering how in the world these people had so much money that they could do these things for him; did they have hidden money trees he didn't know about?

"As your Dominant I would expect you to follow my orders to the best of your ability. I require my submissives to work out three times a week for an hour at first, then longer as you build endurance. For you, I would maintain Tyler's rule that he had for you about eating at least three times a day because you are too skinny for your age. Depending on what time you have classes I will select a bed time for you and I time for you to get up so you can get all your chores done before you go."

It didn't sound like a bad life—it actually sounded better than where he was at right now and if he was meant to go with Damon when Tyler got married then he could hold out for that—it was only a couple of months away.

"You don't have to do any of this Jeremy—I'm just providing another solution for you. If you still want to go to Bonnie's, that's fine too, I won't be offended," Damon watched him carefully, knowing what Jeremy was going to choose. "So what do you want to do?"

Jeremy sighed, hating that he already knew what his answer was going to be; he was nowhere near ready to let go of this lifestyle. Now that he'd been exposed to it he felt as if he _needed_ someone to take care of him, to tell him what to do. He wanted this—he wantedto be controlled, told what to do. He wanted the gratification that submitting gave him, both sexual and not. He wanted someone to want him as much as he needed them—he wanted to _please_. He never felt better when someone actually cared enough about him to want to take care of him and even though he wanted it with Tyler, going with Damon didn't sound so bad either.

"I—I'll give him another chance," he murmured. "One more week."

"One more week," Damon repeated with a smile, grabbing their trays after Jeremy finished his fries. Jeremy watched him lost in thought, his mind was screaming that he was a fool for even thinking that anything would change with Tyler; the facts were still the same and he was still going to be kicked to the curb in August when he married. It just proved to him how completely hooked he was on this lifestyle and on these mysterious yet caring people who only wanted to help him.

Damon nodded for him to come and he stood and followed without a word. He wondered how much trouble he would be in with Tyler when he showed up; he could already envision the anger rolling off of him in waves and it made his stomach churn nervously. He watched as Damon stayed outside to talk on the phone for a moment before hanging up and getting in on the driver's side.

"That was Katherine again—prepare to be smothered," he chuckled. Jeremy laughed despite himself; even though he knew he was probably making a huge mistake he found himself hoping beyond hope that this time things were different.

* * *

**Question for all of you: how would you guys feel about a sequel for this story? Leave a review and let me know! :)**


	21. Chapter 21

**I know...it's been a really, really, really long wait and I have a million and one excuses as for why but I'm sure you guys are more interested in this chapter ;) as usual, thank you for all the reviews, favorites, alerts and love that you have shown this story. Seeing how much you guys like this makes me happier than you will ever know :)**

**I know people are wondering if we are getting to the end of the story because I asked the question about the sequel last chapter but you guys don't need to worry about that! I had a couple different directions I wanted this story to go and that depended on if you guys wanted a sequel; since you guys do...this story is actually going to be longer than I originally planned, meaning the sequel won't be up for some time :) No worries guys, this bad boy is FAR from over, we've got a long ways to go! But e****nough with my blabbering, you guys will see soon enough :) On with the chapter!**

**Warnings: light violence (nothing explicit), angst, OOC-ness, adult content. The story is taking a little turn for the darker starting in this chapter so this is my warning for mentions of dark topics such as self-harm, psychotic behavior, murder, etc. in this chapter and the later ones. If topics like those make you squeamish please skip over them, you will know when they're coming.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

* * *

Jeremy sighed inwardly when the car pulled to a stop in front of the large front doors of the Lockwood Mansion, dreading what was going to happen when he walked inside. Coming back had seemed like a good idea before, the last thing he wanted was to have more run-ins with pimps but coming into the roundabout driveway of the vast mansion, he couldn't see anything good coming from this. He winced from the pain in his groin when the car rolled over something and jostled him in his seat. The car slowed to a stop in front of the marble staircase that lead to the double doors and Damon put it in park; Jeremy noticed how he didn't move to get out of the car right away.

"You alright?" Damon's voice snapped him from his thoughts. He sighed and nodded once. "What's wrong ?"

"I don't want to face him." He sighed again after letting silence reign in the car for a few moments. "He's probably furious with me."

"You'll never know by staying in the car," Damon let a small smile cross his face before the concern was back. "I have your back Jeremy. If he gets out of hand, I'll step in."

Jeremy gave him a flimsy smile before he opened the car door and grabbed his bag, stepping down gingerly as he felt the sting from his private area; Damon met him on his side and they walked side by side to the door. When Jeremy paused, staring at the door in trepidation Damon knocked twice, waiting a few seconds before Elijah appeared at let them in.

"They are waiting in the living room," he murmured, keeping his eyes down. Damon nodded before leading the way, Jeremy dragging his feet behind him. He took a deep breath, preparing himself for anything as he followed Damon through the foyer and the hall way and into the living room where the girls and Stefan were talking quietly. Jeremy was equally relieved and hurt when he didn't see Tyler; did he not even care that he ran away?

"Look who I found," Damon stated loudly, making the three heads turn to him. The girls were off the couch in less than a second, Katherine reaching him first and trapping him in a tight bear hug.

"_Grâce aux dieux!_ I was so worried about you _chérie_! Do not ever scare me like that again!"

"Let him breathe Kat," Damon laughed as he pulled her away slowly, only to be replaced by Caroline who squeezed him harder.

"I'm sorry—I had to tell them!" her apology came out muffled against his shoulder. Jeremy winced but covered it with a chuckle and hugged her back.

"It's okay Care—you're squeezing my neck."

"Sorry," she pulled away, kissing him on the cheek. Katherine was back by her side, this time letting her hands and eyes roam him as she inspected him for injuries.

"I'm glad you're alright Jeremy," Stefan smiled at him. "I'm happy you decided to come back."

"Thanks," he received another warm hug from Katherine as he returned his smile. "I'm so sorry…I didn't mean to worry you all."

"Then you shouldn't have left the house."

Jeremy visibly flinched and turned to the source of the low voice coming from the hallway that led to the theater; Tyler had walked out, dressed in a blue button-down and black slacks and a stern expression on his face. The tension in the room changed noticeably as everyone prepared themselves for anything to happen; Tyler was silent, watching the way Jeremy squirmed under his gaze as he tried to look anywhere but at him.

"Where were you?" he bit out. Jeremy swallowed heavily and pressed his lips together tightly before answering.

"I…I was g-going to Bonnie's," he looked down as he said it, not wanting to see the expression of anger on his Master's face.

"Really." It wasn't a question. "Did I ever _give_ you permission to go to her house?"

"No," he whispered, closing his eyes and bracing for a verbal attack…or worse. He heard the Italian leather shoes coming closer and he tried not to flinch.

"Did I ever say you could leave the house alone?"

"No—no you didn't sir."

Tyler let out a frustrated snort and shook his head. "I don't understand what is so difficult about that rule Jeremy. Don't. Leave. The. House! It's so simple yet you've broken it _twice_! What is it about that rule that you can't understand?"

"Tyler, don't start—"

"Shut-up Damon," he gave his friend a nasty glare before looking at Jeremy again. "This doesn't concern you."

"I believe it does—seeing that he only came home because I convinced him to," Damon ignored his brother's hand on his shoulder in warning. "I thought you would appreciate that fact, considering he didn't plan on coming back."

Tyler set his jaw as he glared at Damon, his anger flaring when Jeremy inched a little closer to him. "Why weren't you coming back Jeremy?"

"I…" he looked at Damon helplessly; the man merely shrugged.

"Why _would_ he come back? If I was being used as a verbal punching bag I would run away too. Luckily I'm more used to your mood swings."

"Damon," Stefan warned. Tyler glared between Jeremy and Damon, not sure which one he wanted to yell at first.

"And where the hell have you been this whole time?" he seethed, deciding to start with Damon. "You've been missing for hours."

"We got a couple burgers and hung out. What—is Jeremy not allowed to have friends now? Are you the only one he's allowed to have contact with?"

"I'd prefer that over him being friends with you. We all know why you like to be anyone's 'friend.'"

"Alright," Stefan picked up Jeremy's duffle bag from where he had dropped it when Katherine had thrown herself at him. "It's been a long day for all of us—just let it go Tyler."

"I'll let it go when I _want_ to let it go Stefan," Tyler whipped his furious gaze towards his ex-Dominant guiding Jeremy to the stairs. "I'll deal with you later Jeremy. Don't think this is over."

Jeremy noticeably flinched at how threatening Tyler sounded and he started up the stairs stiffly as he tried to walk normally and not give away the pain he was in; in his haste to get far away from Tyler he tripped over his own feet and fell to his knees on the stairs crashing onto his battered hands and knees and he bit back a cry of pain as embarrassment rose inside of him. Stefan shot Tyler a hard glare, which he returned, before he helped Jeremy up slowly, whispering something to him that seemed to relax his tense shoulders as he guided him up the rest of the flight and down the hall into his room. Damon watched them before turning back to his furious best friend, his own jaw set as he prepared for a fight.

"I'm only going to tell you one more time to stay the _fuck_ out of our business Damon!" Tyler snarled when they were out of sight. "I don't know what the hell you're trying to prove but you need to leave him alone or—"

"Or _what_ Tyler? What are you going to do?" Damon goaded as he took a step forward. "Why are you getting so defensive over who Jeremy hangs out with?"

"You've only really known him for a couple of weeks and now all of a sudden you two are BFFs? What the hell are you playing at?" he growled.

"Is it so impossible to believe that I actually _like_ the kid?" Damon exasperated. "If you actually spent time with him you'd know—but you're too concerned with your marriage and your money to give him the time of day so again I ask: _why_ do you care about who he's hanging out with?"

"You have an agenda—you don't befriend people like him unless you _want_ something Damon—I've known you long enough to know that!" he snarled. "You can't _stand_ people like Jeremy so I know you're up to _something_!"

"Now I have an agenda? Jesus Tyler—not everything is a damn conspiracy against you! And what the hell do you mean I can't stand people like him?" he raised one dark eyebrow at Tyler. "Who are people like him Tyler? I'd like to know."

"You know," he hissed. Damon rolled his eyes.

"Get over yourself—who _cares_ if Jeremy and I are friends? He could use some after you chased away what few he had with your possessive streak going! Do you realize that you've isolated him from _everything_ he's ever known? That you're now the center of his world? But maybe you wanted that way, as twisted of a bastard as you are. You have to be the center of his attention and everyone else's just like Rebekah. You two really are perfect for each other."

Tyler took a deep breath to control his rapidly rising anger; he was _not_ going to let Damon bait him into a fight. He wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing him angry. He marched back into the theater where he left his jacket and shrugged it on before going back into the hall and preparing to leave through the foyer and out the front door.

"Going to find another drinking buddy, boozy? Or maybe you're going to find Ms. Lewis to help you cling to your denial about Jeremy," Damon smirked wickedly. "I don't know what the hell he sees in you—you clearly have no respect or empathy for anyone but yourself."

Tyler stopped cold at the words, his calming mantra disappearing and the anger starting to build. He turned around to face his best friend, the anger clear in his voice and on his face.

"The hell did you just say?"

"You heard me."

The tension in the room thickened even more as the two friends glared at each other, one silently baiting the other to make the first move. Katherine and Caroline looked on with trepidation; they both knew this argument was not going to end well.

"Get out," Tyler snarled dangerously. "I want you out of my house."

"Did that make you angry Tyler? Hearing the truth about yourself? Because you can't deny it's not true; you're not the saint Jeremy thinks you are—you're so far from it that I don't know how he hasn't seen it before now. You're a heartless, self-absorbed, selfish bastard and Jeremy ran away because he didn't want to deal with it. The one person who actually loves you—you push them away because facing your feelings for him means you actually care about someone other than yourself. How sad."

Tyler tried hard not to let Damon's words affect him but the way he was smirking at him was doing little to help; Damon would say anything to get him angry and he wasn't going to let that bastard win this time.

"At first I couldn't understand why you would spend your time and your hard-earned money on tequila shots and bar sluts that open their legs for just about anyone instead of facing the truth like a man and telling him how you feel but now I realize it's because you're just a miserable dick and if you're not happy, no one else can be—you've been unhappy for so long you have no idea what that even means. So you push away the one good thing that comes into your life because you've got no idea how to just be happy and it's pathetic."

"_I'm_ pathetic? You're the one trying to befriend a 19-year-old boy to get back at your so-called best friend!" he snapped. "What _I _can't understand is why the fuck you are so damn interested in _my_ sub! Have you run out of women to woo with your absurd pick-up-lines? Is Katherine not satisfying you anymore? Or maybe you're just bored and you're thinking, 'well Jeremy's here, he's needy and desperate enough to fall for anything so why not him?' Right?"

"Tyler!" Katherine exclaimed in shock. Damon narrowed his eyes at the insult.

"Watch yourself," he warned. Tyler smirked and laughed at him.

"Look at you getting all defensive. Don't ask for the truth if you can't handle it, isn't that what you always say Damon? Well here's the truth about you and your so-called 'friendship' with Jeremy; it's only happening because he wants attention from me and I'm not giving it to him. He's using you to get back at me so don't stand there and act so damn self-righteous like you're a saint when you're the one being played. He doesn't want you—he'll _never_ want you."

Damon and Katherine shared a look, wondering what happened to the Tyler they knew, because _their_ Tyler would never have gone so low as to insult him, Katherine and Jeremy all at once.

"You had to wait to make your move until he was vulnerable because that's the only way you could get close to him and you call _me _pathetic," Tyler chuckled tauntingly. "As many times as you'll be there as his shoulder to cry on he's never going to want you the way he wants me, so I don't even know why you're still try—"

He stopped smirking when Damon burst out laughing as if Tyler had just told the world's funniest joke; Katherine and Caroline looked at each other, frowning in confusion as they looked between Tyler and Damon.

"Damon, this is not funny," Katherine scolded. "He is being very serious."

"I know—that's why it's funny," Damon chuckled for a few more seconds before fixing Tyler with a smirk of his own. "You know who says shit like that? People who are _jealous_. And since we're on the subject of truth why don't you absorb _this_ truth Tyler—you're jealous of the fact that Jeremy likes me than you. That's why you're pissed and standing there hurling insults at me like a teenage girl with a temper tantrum—you hate that I'm the reason he came back and you know he wouldn't have come back otherwise! If you meant so fucking much to him he wouldn't have left! So go ahead and insult me all you want—it doesn't change the fact that Jeremy _does_ want me around and he's starting to resent you, hence the reason he _ran away_!"

Tyler glared at him furiously, his heart pounding as he clenched and unclenched his fists; he would have liked nothing more than to tell Damon he was wrong but he couldn't even deny that he was. It was his fault for pushing Jeremy away and into Damon's arms. He should have really seen _that_ one coming, considering the many women Damon lured away from their husbands when they weren't getting the attention they wanted.

"If Jeremy knew what you were _really_ like he wouldn't even waste his time on you!" he spat, trying to gain back the upper hand. "You're a twisted son-of-a-bitch with mommy issues and that's why you have to fuck every woman you meet! You're not the man he thinks you are Damon—he wouldn't give you the time of day if he knew half the shit you've done!"

Damon laughed again, this time sounding much more sinister; Tyler just opened a giant can of worms with that one.

"You can't really judge me Tyler—you stick your dick in anyone regardless of their gender and you had both your parents around so I don't know what your excuse is. I wonder," he fixed Tyler with his smirk, the one that told Tyler he was going to say something to royally piss him off, "does Jeremy know how many people _you've_ slept with? Does he know about all the threesomes, foursomes, orgies you've participated in, all the nights you would be in bed with five, six different people and so fucking out of it that you wouldn't use protection? Does he know that you can't even count the number you've been with using all ten fingers and toes? Does he know how much of a whore you are? Clearly he doesn't—I couldn't see him wanting to stick around with all _that_ baggage. But why stop there? Let's talk about _all_ the shit you've done in the past Tyler! I bet Jeremy doesn't even know the _half_ of it."

"Don't," Tyler warned viciously. He knew it was futile; Damon was riled up now and looking to pick a fight.

"Well I guess that answers that question," he chuckled meanly, making Tyler narrow his eyes. "Maybe that's why you're so scared to admit your feelings about him—because you know deep down that Jeremy won't love you when he finds out about all the dirty horrible things you've done, how psychotic you _really _are. I bet you gave him the sob story version of your past—you were a drug addict who partied a lot and got worse when your father died until Stefan saved you _blah blah blah_, but I bet you didn't add in all the dirty details of _other_ things that happened in that time, did you Tyler? Because you love pretending that you're so perfect."

"Shut the fuck up!" Tyler yelled. "You don't know what the fuck you're talking about!"

"I think we both know _exactly_ what I'm talking about." Damon knew he was on extremely thin ice now but he didn't feel bad about using Tyler's past against him now; he was too set on making him angry to care. "I wonder what Jeremy would think if he knew about the _real_ Tyler Lockwood—the one who puts hits on people and murders them because they make him angry—the one that beat Katherine's boyfriend to death with his bare hands in front of her and sold himself to old men to get his drug fix when he was cut off from his money—let's not even talk about what you caught from a couple of them. Or about stealing your mother's jewelry and her _wedding ring_ to pawn for drugs or alcohol—pimping out your sister and her friends for money, how you and your dirty friends would make videos of every encounter to sell on the streets. Even better was the time we found you in an abandoned warehouse in District Five with your heroine fiends and cocaine buddies lying in your own body waste because you were too high to even move. I wonder how Jeremy would feel about you then—maybe we should go ask him."

Damon turned and started walking to the stairs, the infuriating smirk never leaving his face and Tyler sprang into action; he rushed Damon and grabbed him by the lapels of his leather jacket, hauling him backwards until he slammed his back against the wall. Katherine and Caroline pleaded with them to stop but Tyler paid them no mind, his eyes glaring into Damon's smirking ones.

"You say _one_ word to him and you'll end up like that lowlife bastard," he snarled. "Don't test me Damon."

Damon laughed in his face. "You forget that I'm not scared of you. I put a gun in your hand and taught you how to use it—don't think you scare me."

Tyler's eyebrow twitched and shoved Damon further into the wall. "And I'll happily shove that gun in your mouth and pull the damn trigger if you tell Jeremy _anything_. Don't. Test. Me."

"Tyler, stop!" Katherine cried as she pulled his arm. "He is your friend!"

"Get off Katherine!" he shoved her away, missing her shocked and wounded expression. Damon's eyes narrowed and he broke Tyler's hold on him quickly before shoving him back a few steps.

"Watch where the hell you put your hands Tyler," Damon snarled. "Don't do something you can't take back."

"You've already started on that train," he hissed. "You stay the hell away from Jeremy and you don't open your _fucking_ mouth to him because if you do, I swear to _God_ you'll wish you didn't."

"Maybe I already have—maybe that's why he can't even stand to look at you," Damon hissed back. "And when I tell him the rest of it he'll be begging me to take him away from you and the _next_ thing you know he'll be in my bed screaming my name while he rides my di—"

The rest of Damon's sentence was cut off when Tyler threw a hard punch to his jaw; the raven-haired man retaliated with a punch to his nose and a full-blown fight had broken out. Caroline screamed when Tyler went flying past her crashing into the grand-father clock in the corner of the hallway and Katherine quickly pulled her into the kitchen before running back into the living room.

"Stop!" Katherine cried as Tyler threw Damon into one of the display cabinets, shattering the glass doors. "Please stop fighting! You are friends, do not fight like this!"

Damon kicked Tyler in the stomach twice, sending Tyler to the ground; he didn't give him time to retaliate as he hopped on him and punched him in the face. Tyler's head snapped to the side with one swing but he managed to elbow Damon roughly in the ribs, getting him the upper hand and he pushed the elder brother off him. Tyler had picked himself up off the floor with a busted lip and was ready to charge again when Stefan was suddenly blocking Damon from his view.

"_Enough_!" he yelled. "Walk it off Tyler!"

"Bastard!" Tyler tried to get around him but the older man pushed him back towards the door. "Stay the fuck away from him, you hear me? Keep your hands off of him!"

"Or what?" Damon taunted. "You're not going to do a damn thing Tyler! Jeremy's better off without you!"

"Damon, shut-up!" Stefan snapped before turning to Tyler. "Walk it off, now!"

"Fuck you Damon!" he yelled as he was pushed further towards the door. "I swear to God if you fucking touch him—!"

"Don't make me call Mason!" Stefan warned. Tyler glared at him before storming to the door, throwing it open and not bothering to close it, letting it slam into the wall. Stefan shook his head with a heavy sigh before looking at his brother, who was grinning lightly with his own busted lip and black eye.

"Someone's sensitive."

"That really wasn't necessary," Stefan frowned. "You know how easily provoked he is."

"That was the point. Maybe I knocked some sense into his fat head."

Katherine approached him and looked over his face, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he shrugged. "He looked worse."

"Why would you say that to him? You know he is very sensitive about the past," Katherine scolded. "That was not fair of you—he is very regretful of all, he has told us countless times that he is sorry."

"I know—I got mad," Damon admitted. "I just wanted to push him to come clean about his feelings about Jeremy but it didn't go the way I wanted it to."

"You should not have said those things about Jeremy," she admonished. "You made him sound like an _objet_, like he is a prize."

"I know, I didn't mean any of it," he reassured. "I would never sleep with him, he's definitely not my type."

He leered at Katherine jokingly and Stefan rolled his eyes with a light smile. He watched as Katherine called for Caroline while she led Damon to the bathroom to clean his wounds and he sighed at the broken glass and items on the floor from the fight; he went to the door and looked for any sign of Tyler still around before shutting it softly. He really hoped that Tyler wouldn't do anything stupid but whenever his past was brought up, it was hard to know how he was feeling and he became much more unpredictable in his actions.

* * *

When Tyler came back he stormed up the stairs without a word to anyone and slammed the door shut, locking it; all the anger inside of him was making him hot and he ripped his shirt over his head and threw it on the ground with more force than necessary. Damon was a bastard for provoking him, he always knew what to say to piss him off but it was the fact that he would even threaten him with telling Jeremy about his past before taking him…he snarled furiously and punched the wall in anger. Jeremy was _his_! Damon had no right to touch _his_ boy! Just because they were going through this rough patch didn't give him the right to take him! The rage and the jealously coursed through him so fast he thought he would explode; he wanted nothing more than to take his gun and empty all the rounds into Damon's body and he was immediately shocked that he thought something so violent about his best friend; they'd had their fair share of arguments but he _never_ felt like killing him. But Damon had never used his past against him either—he was a dick for doing that and he just wanted to get back at him.

In an attempt to calm himself down he took deep breaths and rolled his neck in slow circles as he tried to clear his mind. He was better than this—he was _not_ going to let Damon get to him, he was not going to let his threats affect him even though he had a feeling that they weren't really threats and he was sure that Jeremy felt _something_ for Damon. It might not be as strong as what he felt for him but it was still _there_. He let Jeremy fall for another Dominant because he wasn't there for him, he _let_ it happen.

The thought made a whole new wave of anger and grief wash over him and he stormed into his bathroom and threw open his medicine cabinet, staring at the bottle of Jeremy's painkillers and his sleeping pills. He really shouldn't, he knew he shouldn't, he didn't want to but he just needed to leave his own mind to calm down…but it was getting so hard to fight himself…and he had that bottle of scotch up here so if he just took a couple of Jeremy's pain meds that would numb the pain at least for a little while.

Suddenly the door to the medicine cabinet was slammed shut and the glass was broken, one giant crack going diagonally through the glass and the other pieces slightly cracked. His reflection was gazing back in the fragmented shards and he caught sight of his eyes; they were full of anger and hatred but also pain. They were also deadened, the pain lingering behind the anger starting to push through; his hatred for Damon had started turning into self-loathing and it took everything in him not to swing his fist into the mirror to shatter it.

One of the larger pieces of the mirror fell out the frame and into the sink; he picked it up and stared at it, feeling and admiring the smoothness of the sides. Pressing his lips together, he twirled the large shard in his hand thinking it odd that something so shiny and beautiful could be so deadly. He caught sight of his of the inside of his opposite wrist, the faded white lines that ran across his skin and he felt a familiar tingle—almost like a fleeting tease. He hadn't thought about it for a long while, not since he stopped using the needle, and he didn't think things would ever get so bad where he would think about it again. Never had he felt more horrible when Stefan and Mason had caught him red-handed when they thought he was showing good improvement from his addictions; he wondered what they would do if they knew he was thinking about it. The glass shifted in his hand; it was really starting to look appealing.

_Don't go there again, you're better than that. _

He stared at the piece of glass a while longer before dropping it in the trashcan on the side of his cabinet, shaking his head of his thoughts; turning on the faucet, he splashed cold water on his face a couple of times before looking at himself in his cracked mirror once more. Tyler sighed and rolled his neck to release some of the tension in his neck as he mulled over his fight with Damon; what had really provoked him more than the fact that he used his past against him was the fact that he wouldn't let his supposed night with Hayley go. Not that he had even given them a reason to think any differently; with the pictures all over the news and reporters constantly in his face, he hadn't even gotten the chance to explain _his _side of the story.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

_He fell heavily on the couch, the room feeling like it was spinning something terrible and everything looked like upside down. He had to get out of there, he didn't belong there; Jeremy needed him. He didn't even want to be here. _

_Hayley straddled him and her lips were on his again, harsh and demanding, not soft like Jeremy's; her hair was stringy and greasy with hairspray, not soft and full like Jeremy's. She wasn't Jeremy; she couldn't even measure up to him. He didn't even know why he agreed to come with her—or why he was still here. _

_She reached behind to pull the zipper of her dress down; she stood and dropped the dress to the floor, standing in a black, barely there thong and her five-inch black heels. Tyler felt his mouth go dry and lust starting to cloud his mind. She climbed back on top of him, her perfume assaulting his nose and he had enough. He pushed her off him and stood shakily; he was going to be sick for sure. _

"_What's wrong?" she cooed. He held out a hand to stop her from getting too close. _

"_I can't," he muttered as he stumbled towards the door. He hardly heard what she was saying as he stumbled through the door and into the opposite wall in the hall. He couldn't believe what he was about to do; he was about to…he couldn't even think the words. He stumbled down the stairs and out the door, his nausea rising and his head swimming. He looked around but he couldn't tell where he was. He clutched his head with a low groan and stopped walking, bending over and squeezing his eyes shut. Suddenly everything from the past few hours hit him and he ran to a planter with bushes, emptying the contents of his stomach. He was going to sleep with that woman; he was going to betray Jeremy for his own, selfish needs. How could he be __**such**__ a prick? Damon was right; he was a coward._

_He found himself walking in the direction of the city; there was no way he could go home and face Jeremy after what he nearly did. It would devastate him, he would never trust Tyler again and he couldn't have that. He needed Jeremy to be able to trust him, to love him even though he'd been treating him no better than dirt. He needed Jeremy's love even though he was the last person who deserved it._

_He walked for what felt like ten minutes but was really two hours, nearly oblivious the cars rushing past him on the streets; he happened to look up and see that he was walking by The Grande Rivera Hotel and he went inside, stumbling to the front desk and thrusting his card at the man working behind the counter. He didn't remember how he got to his room but he was thankful when his back hit the sheets and he no longer had to think._

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

He sighed heavily and hung his head; no one would probably believe him if he gave them that version of events. They all liked believing that he was an uncontrollable whore and he allowed himself to be viewed that way for as long as he could remember; now it seemed it was coming back to bite him in the ass. He didn't want to be that person anymore, he didn't want to be the damaged billionaire who fucked every person he met, as Damon had so nicely pointed out. He growled as he thought about their fight about Jeremy and he remembered that he still had to punish Jeremy for running away; a part of him, the sensible part, told him to leave Jeremy be but the alpha male side of him was dying to teach Jeremy that _he_ was in control of this until he no longer could be. He didn't care if Jeremy wanted out of this contract; he wasn't letting him go until the very last second. No one was going to take this away from him, not even Jeremy.

He quickly walked out of the room, making sure no one was around before going down the hall and around the corner to Jeremy's room. He pressed his ear against the door to listen for any signs of anyone—specifically Damon—and knocked when he was satisfied. Jeremy called for the person on the other side to come in and he twisted the door handle and pressed the door open; Jeremy turned from where he was folding his clothes and completely froze, his half smile that started forming sliding from his face. They stared at each other in silence for a few tense moments.

"We need to talk about what happened," Tyler said finally as he stepped inside. Jeremy swallowed heavily, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. "Sit down Jeremy."

Jeremy bit his lip anxiously before sitting on the edge of the bed. Tyler waited for a few more minutes to make Jeremy squirm before speaking again.

"You disobeyed my rules again. Why?"

Jeremy took a breath and let it out slowly. "I…I don't know."

"You're going to have to do better than that Jeremy," Tyler nearly snapped. "I'll ask you again; why did you leave the house?"

"I wanted to see Bonnie," he said softly. "I miss her."

"I told you that she was welcome here anytime. But that's not the reason you ran away," he put emphasis on the two last words, "you had a duffle bag with you. If you were just going to visit you wouldn't have needed that."

Jeremy flinched but didn't respond; he wasn't going to tell Tyler he ran away because he was never going to love him back. He wasn't baring his heart like that again.

Suddenly his chin was being held in a strong grip and was being forced up so that his eyes met Tyler's stormy brown ones; they stared at each other silently, trying to gauge the next move of the other—at least Jeremy was—before Tyler suddenly kissed him harshly; Jeremy froze for a moment before he tentatively returned the kiss, unsure of what caused this sudden change in Tyler's mood. His Dominant pulled away, his eyes still blazing with bright intensity.

"You're mine," he whispered threateningly. "No one touches you but me. You belong to _me_."

Jeremy nodded slowly, "Y-Yes sir."

"Take your pants off and roll over onto your stomach. You need to be punished for disobeying me again."

Without thinking Jeremy scrambled out of his jeans and did as Tyler asked; he tried to take calming breaths as he prepared himself for what was coming. He felt Tyler's hand smoothing down his behind before he left the room, telling him not to move. Jeremy fought with all his might not to turn around and see what was going on What brought on this sudden change in his Master, he was not sure; all he wanted was to make Tyler happy again.

The door opened again and Tyler walked back in, "Since this is the second time you have disobeyed me by leaving your punishment will be a little more…severe."

Jeremy's head shot up in fear, "Wh-What?"

"You need to understand that I do _not_ appreciate when my rules are disobeyed. You will never do it again."

Jeremy let out an anxious whimper when he felt the bed dip next to him; he barely had time to really register what Tyler meant by more severe punishments before he felt a hard smack against his bottom and pushing his bruised groin against the bed; he yelped in pain and tried to move but Tyler's arm was holding him in place across his lower back.

"Count them out loud," he demanded, his voice leaving no room for argument. Jeremy's heart felt like it would beat its way out of his chest as memories from his earlier attack started to assault him; he tried to choke out the word but his voice was paralyzed with fear as the pain started when his neither regions were thrust into the bed by the force of another hard slap against his behind. "Do it Jeremy."

"I—I—!"

"Stop disobeying me!" Tyler snapped, hand tightening around the wooden paddle he was using to serve Jeremy his punishment. "Count them out loud or I'll keep going until you do!"

Another hard smack came, and another, and another; he couldn't keep up with them; all he wanted was for them to stop. He could hear the men from earlier, their cruel laughter ringing in his ears; he could hear the boys from the orphanage taunting him as they held him down and beat him senseless. He clawed at the bed unconsciously, trying to break free from Tyler but he couldn't. He just needed to get away before they escalated into punches; they _always_ escalated into punches. He squeezed his eyes shut, praying it would go away on its own but he knew it wouldn't help.

"Start counting!" he snarled; the paddle came down particularly hard and Jeremy cried out in terror. In a burst of adrenaline he was kicking free and knocked into Tyler so suddenly he fell to the floor; he scrambled off the bed and into the corner, pushing his back against it and curling into a fetal position, his eyes wide with terror, his breathing borderline hyperventilating and his body shaking so badly he looked as if he were shivering.

"I'm—I'm sorry, I'm sorry, p-p-please," he stuttered out, the fear clear in his voice. "I won't—I won't disobey ag-again, please I'll—I'll do whatever you want please—please just don't hit me p-please you don't have to—don't hit me please—"

"Fuck," Tyler whispered with wide eyes as he realized what was happening. He kicked the paddle under the bed and stood, walking towards Jeremy quickly. "Jeremy I'm so—"

Jeremy whimpered and buried his head in his arms. "I'm sorry please, _please_ don't hit me!"

Tyler stopped in his tracks as he watched the terrified boy; he knelt down and crawled to Jeremy at a snail's pace, the sound of terrified whimpering the only noise filling the room. "Baby, look at me."

Jeremy only continued to shake, scooting as close to the wall as possible.

"Jeremy, look at me. Please," Tyler said as softly as he could. Jeremy raised his head slowly, eyes full of terrified, unshed tears; he watched as Tyler crawled another inch and he shrunk back into the wall more.

"Jeremy, I'm not going to hurt you," he pleaded as he came next to him. "I'm so sorry for scaring you. I promise I'm not going to hurt you, I would _never_ hit you like them."

Jeremy took a shuddering breath, his wide eyes still trained on Tyler carefully. His shaking never stopped, the sheer fear of what he knew was about to happen rocking him to his very core and his body ached as he remembered the hell he went through in the past. Tyler heavily suspected he spent more time in this position trying to protect himself than fighting back.

"Jeremy," he felt a hand on his back and he jumped out of his skin.

"I swear I'll be good, please—I'll never do anything bad again just don't hurt me—p-please—"

"No one's going to hurt you, I promise," Tyler soothed softly. "You're safe; you're always safe with me. This is a safe place; you're safe."

"You…you're not going to hit me?" he whispered, his tone disbelieving.

"No love, I would never do that to you," Tyler didn't notice his slip-up as he very, very slowly drew Jeremy into his arms. "You're safe here, just take deep breaths. I'm not your foster families and I'm not those guys from the orphanage. This is _your _safe place, no one will ever hurt you here."

_Except for you_, his conscious decided to make a snide comment but he ignored it. He hushed Jeremy as he laid him on his side in his arms, keeping one arm around him and one on his hair as he rocked him gently, listening to him gasp for breath.

"I'm—I'm, I'm sorry for everything I d-did," he whispered helplessly as he trembled. "I'll do anything you want—"

"Shhh, just keep breathing," he heard Jeremy struggling to take breaths as his fingers gently massaged his scalp. "That's it baby; just keep breathing, everything's going to be fine. Say your mantra Jeremy, the one I taught you; this is _your_ safe place and no one can hurt you here."

"No one can hurt me here," he repeated in a daze. "I'm safe and no one can hurt me."

"Good boy, just keep breathing," he soothed and pulled him further into his embrace, not holding back from comforting his terrified submissive. As he listened to Jeremy struggle to breathe he wondered why he thought taking Jeremy as a submissive was a good idea in the first place. He was so set on dominating Jeremy to satisfy his needs that he didn't realize what kind of impact this would have on him as a victim of severe traumatic abuse. He was put in a situation where he had no power over anything and was punished when he did something he considered 'wrong', punished just like he was in his foster families, in the orphanage. And looking at Jeremy now, he could see how much the submission had changed him; it was like he had been stripped of everything he was and molded into…this. He _blackmailed_ Jeremy by using his best friend to corner him into this twisted relationship they now had and Jeremy, being the sweet, naïve boy he was, fell in love with him; now it was destroying him slowly and he didn't know how or even if he could stop it. The more Tyler thought about the situation the sicker he felt; how could he have taken advantage of this innocent child and even begin to justify himself? Jeremy may have been 19-years-old but he could see deep down that Jeremy was still a child, a terrified, lost child.

"I'm sorry, Master," Jeremy whispered thickly. Tyler shook his head quickly and kissed his hair.

"You have _nothing_ to be sorry for," he promised. "This is my fault—I should have known better than to do that."

"I'm sorry for running away and—and for throwing my food on the floor…I'll fix it, I'll fix all of it just—just tell me what I need—"

"No Jeremy, you don't need to do _anything_," Tyler soothed. "Just keep breathing, that's all I want you to do."

His heart broke at the fear in his voice; Jeremy feared him and he couldn't blame him. He'd turned into one of his nightmares from his past and he didn't even realize it until he was cowering in front of him; it was his job to protect him and watching Jeremy now, he knew he failed miserably. Jeremy deserved better than this, he deserved better than _him_. The realization hurt like a bullet to the chest but it didn't make it any less true. He needed to stop the downward spiral before he crashed; his mind reeled over how much Jeremy had lost himself because of him.

Tyler wasn't sure how long they sat on the floor, time being a distant notion as he mulled over this fucked-up situation. He looked down and saw that Jeremy had closed his eyes and his breathing had evened out, falling asleep in only his shirt. Tyler smiled slightly and removed himself slowly before bending to pick him up and carry him to the bed. When he set him down Jeremy's eyes fluttered open; he sat him up and pulled his shirt over his head slowly before pushing him to lie down again.

"Roll onto your stomach," he whispered softly, noticing how Jeremy froze.

"Are you going to…finish punishing me?"

"No Jere, no more punishments."

"You can—I know I deserve this punishment and all the other ones you give me," Jeremy bit his lip. "I've been bad, I know I have—"

"Jeremy," Tyler cupped his neck gently with one hand, heart clenching at the way he flinched at the contact. "You're not going to be punished anymore. I want to put the cream on your skin so it's not red, okay?"

Jeremy exhaled an, "okay" before he did as he was asked. Tyler looked in the drawers for the healing ointment; when he found it he grabbed a generous amount on his fingers and massaged it into Jeremy's red flesh, biting his lip as he looked at the damage he caused. Jeremy let out a light moan of pain and Tyler apologized quietly as he worked his hands gently over the irritated skin. He told Jeremy to roll onto his back, wincing at the discolored skin and cuts that were glaring at him, accusing him of adding more to the already battered body. His eyes started burning as his hand trailed over the cuts on his chest, down to the long scar across his stomach to the dozens and dozens on his arms and shoulders and legs. How had Jeremy lived this way for so long? How was it that this beautiful, gentle boy had been hurt so much in his young life and had done nothing to deserve it? How and _why_? That was the real question; _why_ had this happened to him? Why wasn't he there to protect him from this? Why was _no one_ there to protect him?

He frowned when he saw bruises on his thighs and the discoloration of part of his manhood that looked fresh. He touched them gently, frown deepening at the hiss Jeremy let out. He looked at Jeremy's face but he was looking at the ceiling with determination.

"Who did this to you?" he asked lowly, trying to keep his anger in check.

"I—I just…I ran into a…rail. I wasn't paying attention…when I was walking," he thought of the bearded snatcher and the searing pain he felt when he stomped on him seemed to come back. "It's fine."

"A rail wouldn't have caused all these bruises," Tyler pressed lightly on one of the bruises and Jeremy let out a whimper of pain. "Who did this to you? Did they do anything else?"

"No one did it to me," he said in a small voice. "I'm fine."

"Jeremy, you have to tell me who hurt you," he crawled to the head of the bed to be level with his face. "Tell me so they can be punished for it."

"I—I don't know," he looked away. "I don't want to talk about it."

Tyler gritted his teeth and began to consent when he took a closer look at Jeremy's head and noticed the cut on his temple and the angry red line across his forehead.

"Who is it?" he snarled, running his fingers across the wounds. "They have to pay for hurting you like this—don't defend the people who hurt you!"

"I don't know!" Jeremy sat up and scooted away from Tyler, feeling threatened by his harsh tone. "I don't know who they were but nothing happened—!"

"You have bruises on your thighs and cuts on your forehead!" He snatched one of his hands and turned it over, growling when he saw the rough scrapes on them. He looked back at Jeremy's knees and saw they were slightly scraped but not as much as his hands. "You have scrapes on your hands and knees Jeremy. What. Happened?"

Jeremy looked away in shame, making Tyler growl again and he flinched slightly. "Did they touch you Jeremy? Is that why you won't tell me? Did they force themselves on you?"

"No! Nothing like that happened—I swear!"

"Tell me who they are! Who hurt you?"

"They worked for a pimp!" Jeremy finally choked out. "They were snatchers and they—they wanted…all they wanted was to make me…" he looked away again. "I don't want to talk about it, please don't make me!"

Tyler's heart thumped painfully hard as multiple scenarios ran through his head of Jeremy being attacked and manhandled and forced to do sexual acts with dirty men; the thought made him sick and he wrapped his arms around Jeremy tightly, tucking his head into his neck.

"Why didn't you just tell me?"

"I don't know," he mumbled, wishing Tyler hadn't seen the bruises. He was tired of looking like a damsel in distress that needed someone to save him all the time. He could take care of himself; he ignored the nasty voice in his mind that he really couldn't because if he could he wouldn't have been abused as he had. He just didn't want to seem weak in front of Tyler; he didn't want to be seen as some weakling that always needed saving.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you," he whispered softly. "I'm so sorry Jeremy."

"I'm okay," he reassured, his heart pounding at their close proximity. "I wasn't—someone stopped them before they forced me to do anything."

Tyler nodded but it didn't make him feel any better; he pulled back and cupped Jeremy's face, brushing his thumb under his eye and kissed the red line on his forehead gently, lips lingering as he closed his eyes and begged forgiveness silently. He pulled back slowly and stared into Jeremy's eyes for a moment before they were both leaning in and kissing desperately and it was wonderful and glorious and heat and Tyler couldn't remember why the hell he had stayed away from Jeremy for so long. Jeremy's hands slipped under his shirt and he gasped lightly as they trailed up his abdomen to his chest before grabbing the hem of his shirt and pulling it over his head and his arms. He threw it to the side and stared at Jeremy who was staring back at him just as breathlessly and it hit him what was about to happen.

"I…we can't...this isn't right Jeremy," he shuddered with guilt. "I can't do this to you."

"It's okay Master, I'm fine," he whispered, his brown eyes that were just full of fear were now glazed over with lust. "It's okay." He pulled Tyler to him and he went willingly; Tyler gritted his teeth as Jeremy's lips went to his neck and his blood started rushing south along with his resolve.

"Jeremy," his eyes fluttered when Jeremy started sucking with his hot mouth. "I don't want to hurt you." Even as he said this he knew he would wind up giving in; his hands tightened on Jeremy's bare sides, letting out a little moan when Jeremy's hands trailed around his back and his lips moved down his jaw.

"You won't," he breathed as he kissed up his neck to his jaw to his lips, "I trust you."

_God help me_, Tyler thought weakly as he smashed their lips back together; one hand traveled down to Jeremy's bruised groin and he started massaging gently, earning a slightly pained moan from him. He pulled away when he couldn't breathe and Jeremy's lips followed, pressing back against his frantically as he pressed himself closer and Tyler could feel every inch of his skin against his and it nearly drove him insane to have his senses overloaded with Jeremy after so long. His heart pounded as his lips went to Jeremy's pale throat and he let out a guttural groan in return, hands tightening on his sides when Tyler's hand went to cup his sac.

"Master," he pleaded breathlessly. "It hurts, please—"

Tyler kissed him quickly and pushed him onto his back gently. "Lay down."

Jeremy nodded, shuddering as he felt Tyler's lips and hands trailing down his body gently; he gasped half in surprise and half in pain when he felt himself being engulfed by a warm mouth but he closed his eyes and allowed the sensation to take over.

* * *

"I'm surprised Mikael hasn't noticed you're gone. I would have thought he would have you on lock-down with all the disappearing you've been doing. You haven't been exactly discreet," Kol held a fat cigar between his fingers, puffing out soft clouds of smoke over the railing of the balcony that came with his apartment. Rebekah wrinkled her nose as she watched him.

"That is a disgusting habit," she chided. "And he has been suspicious but he's too bust with Henrick to really say anything. He has his prom and graduation in a few weeks and he wants to play doting father."

"Typical Mikael—needing to be in everyone's business," Kol rolled his eyes before taking another puff. "How is Henrick? Haven't seen him since…you know."

"He's…he's still dealing with it all but he hides it well from father," she sighed. "Sometimes he asks me what life would be life if you and Klaus and Elijah and mother and Finn were all still around, if father would be happier and not so absent and I have no idea what to say to him. So I just tell him what he wants to hear and he knows that I'm lying but he just smiles and pretends that it's the answer he's looking for. It breaks my heart to watch him sometimes, knowing he grew up with so much loss."

Kol watched his sister for a moment, his heart cracking slightly for his younger siblings who experienced more heart-break than anyone in these past few years. As siblings, they had, for the most part, always been close with one another and were all devastated when they heard what happened to Finn. Then Elijah started to act funny and he started to become suspicious, even more so when their mother died so suddenly. She had been sick for a while but her death still seemed…off somehow. And then Klaus...Klaus who had started to become more silent and fearful of Mikael, going more than out of his way to avoid him when he could and just when he had convinced his brother that he could trust him and he was ready to tell him what was happening…he disappeared without a trace, Richard Lockwood was dead and Mikael was placing the blame on Klaus before Elijah turned on him and told Tyler Lockwood that Mikael was the reason his father was dead. He remembered that he tried to reach out to Elijah but it seemed that he wanted nothing to do with their family after being disowned; Kol didn't blame him but still, he missed his older brother.

"I'm sorry this has been so hard on you and Henrick—I never meant to make it harder by leaving," he murmured as he sat his cigar against the edge of the ashtray. "I couldn't look for Klaus with father breathing down my neck all the time telling me to drop it."

"I know," she said quietly. "And if you leaving meant you could look for him…then I can't be angry with you for that. You want to know what happened—we all do."

Before he could answer he heard the sliding door open and he turned to face his partner holding three tied plastic bags. "The line was killer but I made it back with dinner," he sat the bags on the table and plopped down in between the siblings. "You guys better be hungry—I spent nearly an hour in line for this."

Kol laughed and put out his cigar before grabbing one of the bags, "My hero; willing to face the longest line for the best Mexican food in town just for me!" He reached next to him on the ground and pulled up a six-pack, pulling one loose and sliding it towards Matt. "You deserve it, you dashing man you!"

Rebekah laughed at their antics, pretending that it was her beer and not Matt's boyish smile that was warming her insides. "You two are so dramatic."

"Alas, sister, it takes a brave warrior to face the savages of The Grille," Kol sighed in over exaggeration. "The fact that this young lad here was willing to risk his neck should mean a great deal to you."

"Considering how many people tried to cut me," he leaned in, keeping his voice low. "I almost had to pull out my badge."

"And tell them what? That you're a starving police officer?" she laughed. "I don't think they would have cared."

"You'd be surprised—my badge strikes fear into criminals and citizens alike. I always get what I want with it," he wiggled his brows at her and she felt her face heating up. She busied herself with opening her own bag; she made the mistake of looking up and catching her brother's knowing eye, making her blush even harder. She made sure to keep her staring to a minimum throughout dinner, laughing and smiling when needed but she let the men talk while she let her mind wander.

Lately, thoughts of seriously breaking her contract with Tyler had started to invade her mind and she knew the very reason for those thoughts was sitting not three feet from her laughing with her brother. She had seen her fair share of men since being engaged and they all had wanted to become her husband, begging her to break up with Tyler but she wouldn't have it; they weren't good enough and they had nowhere near as much money as he did. That all went out the window when she was around Matt; money didn't matter _as_ much when she was around him, it didn't matter that he shared an apartment with her brother and that he would probably never make enough to suit her lifestyle. Thoughts like these scared her; she wasn't the type of woman to choose infatuation over everything else. She planned strategically, ensuring she would have the best of everything and lately she was finding herself questioning all her choices.

"You deserve an award Matt, that was delicious," Kol sighed in content as he leaned back in his chair. Matt laughed before standing and grabbing the plastic containers.

"I'll make sure I collect," he winked at Rebekah before going inside. Kol stood as well and grinned at his sister. "Well…it's been a long day. Think I'm going to turn in—but feel free to stay, maybe Matt will let you have his bed again like the strapping gentleman he is."

He grinned cheekily at his sister's sputtering face before strolling inside; seconds later Matt came back out, laughing at something Kol had said to him when he passed. "You should stay tonight, it's already eleven and your dad will probably grill you when you get home."

"You're right," she found herself agreeing as she stood. "I could sleep on the couch—I don't want to put you out of your room."

"It's no problem—you don't look like you've ever slept on a couch in your life. You'd hate me in the morning."

"I would be fine," she snapped lightly. "What—just because I come from money that means I've never slept anywhere but a bed?"

"I would find it hard to believe if you did," Matt chuckled as he waited until she walked inside before sliding the door closed and locking it. "I don't think you would get much beauty rest on a sofa—you look like you need about a good eight solid hours of sleep and this sofa isn't up to your standard, I'm sure."

Rebekah was about to retort something when she turned around and saw that he was smiling at her; it hit her then that she was joking with her and she smirked, deciding to play along.

"You're right—this _wouldn't _be up to my standard…or anyone's for that matter. Are you sure you still want me to have your bed? I would hate for you to not gain _your_ beauty sleep."

He laughed and stepped closer, "You willing to share my bed Rebekah?"

"If you want," she noticed him coming closer and heat started to fill her as she realized the hidden meaning in the words. "I've been known to be generous when it comes to sharing."

"How generous?" he stopped right in front of her. "I take up a lot of room."

"I don't mind," she whispered as she looked up into his darkened eyes and her heart started to beat just a little bit faster and she quickly made a decision that she wasn't going to bed alone that night. Without letting herself think, she reached up and pressed their lips together soundly, catching his gasp of surprise; she cupped his face and his muscled arms automatically went around her waist and pulled her closer; when she opened her mouth to let his tongue in she felt her knees go weak and she pushed herself closer to him, needing to be as close as possible as the kiss gained more passion. Finally he pulled away for air, his eyes glossy with want and she smiled lightly before leaning back in; she was surprised when she felt his hands on her arms, pushing her away from him and she looked at him in confusion. "What—?"

"We can't do this, you're engaged," he sighed as he stepped away from her. "I won't disrespect you or Tyler like that."

He walked away before she could say anything, going into his room before going into the bathroom and shutting the door. She turned when she heard the door closed and felt her heart sinking as she wondered what just happened.


	22. Chapter 22

**Surprise! I updated early! I should totally be studying for finals but I can't concentrate as I impatiently wait for the Game of Thrones season finale and I finished this chapter instead! Hopefully I can update even faster than this from now on!**

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Greatly appreciate your continued support :) and thank you to those who don't review but read anyways! You guys are awesome! I encourage you to leave a review! Tell me what you like or don't like, I'd love to hear from you either way :)**

**I apologize for the lack of smut in this story lately, especially with all the angst happening. It was necessary for the plot to advance but I promise that it will return and it will be full-force! Read and enjoy anyways, I think you guys will like this one :) **

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

* * *

Mikael pinched the bridge of his nose tightly as he listened to Antonio, his head of security and one of his closest henchmen reciting the details of the murder scene that included two of his finest pimps.

"So there's no evidence we can use to track these bastards."

"None, sir. The bullets came from an unregistered gun. Whoever did this…they're experts."

"And what about the boy?"

"We can't tell if they ever found him or not but if they did he's long gone."

Mikael slammed a hand on his desk in frustration; why was it so difficult to get ahold of one person? "You find the fuckers who did this and bring me their hearts, Antonio, do you understand me? Get your best on this and find them now!"

"Yes, sir."

"And get Jeremy Gilbert, whatever it takes! I don't want to see you again unless you have the brat otherwise you can put your gun in your mouth and pull the trigger! I will _not_ lose $2,000,000 because you can't catch some half-wit orphan!"

He ended the call in the middle of the man's reply and threw his phone at the wall. He growled in frustration before he started pacing back and forth as he thought about this predicament; Romanov was quickly becoming impatient with him and he did not want to be the one to suffer the man's wrath if he couldn't bring him Jeremy Gilbert. Luckily he was able to appease the head of the Italian Mafia with another blonde that looked similar to the one under Katherine's care, promising that when he did get her, he would give her to one of his son's. For a while, Mikael considered handing Rebekah over to the Mafia head; she looked similar to the blonde and she was of child-bearing age but he didn't want to have to deal with the questions that would arise should she suddenly disappear like Klaus. Of course, he would blame the whole thing on Lockwood and he would more than likely go to jail for the rest of his life but still…it would be too risky to have two of his children disappear, especially since it was so close to the anniversary of the death of his wife and Klaus' disappearance.

He sneered at the thought of her; Esther Mikaelson had made a fool out of him one too many times and he was grateful that she was dead now. She was the reason their family fell apart though he would never tell his children that. The day he had to tell his children their mother was no longer with them was as equally a joyous day for him as it was devastating for them, especially Henrick who was just ten at the time. If only they knew the atrocities she had committed against him, if only they knew what she was capable of, they wouldn't have shed so many tears over her then. Being the kind man he was however, he decided to keep them in the dark about their mother's secrets. He didn't want to spoil their memory of her, nor did he want to tear his family apart.

He knew he should have just told them the truth, seeing as how their family fell apart after her death. Really, their family had started to crumble when Finn had gone to war and gotten himself killed, destroying his mother so much that she blamed him for letting him go. He scoffed; Finn was a grown man who could make his own decisions and he died valiantly, the only one out of the bunch that he somewhat admired. Then she started acting distant, much like she had after she gave birth to Elijah and he couldn't understand what had caused this separation, this distance between them. He hadn't even contemplated the idea that she was unfaithful; he was so in love with her he hadn't wanted to. It wasn't possible—he gave that woman the world! All the children and rooms in the house and money she could ever want! Why would she ever choose anyone over _him_?

Then he found out the truth about her infidelity and about Klaus, the boy he had raised as his son for years only to find out that he wasn't really his. And something inside him snapped.

His cellphone rang, bringing him out of his musings and he picked it up from the floor, answering it when he saw it was Elijah. "What?"

"The boy was brought back last night by Damon Salvatore. I thought you took care of it."

"I thought so too—it seems Jeremy Gilbert has some guardian angles," Mikael growled as he looked out the window. "Have you heard anything?"

"Only that he was attacked in an alley but he managed to get away."

"Godamnit!" Mikael snarled. "And Lockwood?"

"Angry as usual. Probably won't let the boy out of his sight for a good while now."

Mikael sighed heavily. "What about the girl?"

"Still here—I was waiting for the boy to be taken before I took her. She was the only one who knew he was leaving."

"Keep me updated, I need to run damage control," he hung up and bang his fist against the wall, hard. It looked like he was back to square one with this. _If only Klaus hadn't disappeared_, he thought with a snarl as he made his way back into his study. This wouldn't even be an issue if Klaus hadn't found out he was going to have a new home in Russia. Romanov had been quite content with him but he never expressed the interest as he had with Gilbert. He always noticed a certain fondness with which Romanov used when he asked about the boy, almost as if he thought of Gilbert as a son but he knew better. Most men didn't view their sons as their bed partners, unless they were perverse like Giuseppe Salvatore who was currently rotting in a high security isolated prison in the middle of the desert somewhere west of Nivea. Mikael couldn't help but admire the man's cunning—using his son to make him millions was a smart business venture, one that he profited off greatly and would have continued to profit off of if not for his other son, Damon. It was Giuseppe who inspired him to start his own business, a business that had now flourished into an underground empire and would have ended if he hadn't silenced Richard Lockwood. The man was too morally sound for his own good—Mikael was almost saddened he had to kill the man; they were great business partners. Now if only Lockwood junior could realize how much money they could make; he thought briefly about including Lockwood in on the business but the man was just as morally sound as his father in a sense. And he couldn't see Lockwood selling his boy-toy for two million dollars; in fact he was probably hiring extra security to watch over him which was going to make it harder to obtain him and the girl.

Mikael growled and stormed back into his study; he was _determined_ to get Jeremy Gilbert if it was the last thing he did.

* * *

The next morning came too quickly for Tyler as he laid in Jeremy's bed, staring at the ceiling as his younger lover laid beside him, head on his chest and their legs intertwined. He turned his head towards the window, thankful that the blinds were closed and he could enjoy the darkness of the room a while longer. He hadn't slept all night; he hadn't been able to with everything running through his mind and all revolving around the one beside him, his main reason for staying up being the immense guilt he felt for everything he'd done lately including sleeping with him last night. He was an asshole for doing this, for giving Jeremy this hope when he knew they could never be. He was a selfish bastard as Damon had rightfully called him; he hadn't wanted to admit it before but now he was starting to see how his actions created consequences for everyone. He couldn't keep doing this to Jeremy; he had to do the right thing and let him go. It hurt, thinking of Jeremy anywhere else other than here with him but he reminded himself that Jeremy wasn't safe with him. That he was in danger of losing himself completely and becoming severely damaged psychologically if he stayed here, more damaged than he already was. He deserved a better life than being the mistress of a wealthy man; he deserved to be with someone who could give him all the love and care he deserved.

_The one person who actually loves you—you push them away because facing your feelings for him means you actually care about someone other than yourself._

Damon's words bounced around in his head and a pained smile came to his face; he wanted to deny he was right but he couldn't. He cared about his needs to much and he was destroying Jeremy as a result. If he had just let Jeremy leave the party with Bonnie instead of making it his mission to get him to submit to him then none of this would be happening. If he wasn't as twisted of a person as he was, this wouldn't be happening at all. And it burned, knowing it was _his_ fault, that he couldn't put the blame of Jeremy's suffering on anyone but himself. It hadn't stopped him from trying; he hunted those thugs down and killed them with his bare hands with the excuse that they were a source of pain for Jeremy. He plotted and murdered two of his abusers from the orphanage because he made himself believe that they were the source of Jeremy's unhappiness. It was all a distraction from his _true _source of pain and he hadn't wanted to admit that while they had hurt Jeremy physically, _he_ messed with him emotionally and mentally. _He_ was the reason Jeremy cried, _he_ was the one who tore Jeremy down and _he_ was the reason that Jeremy was so devastated by his actions that he saw no other option but to run away. No matter which way he looked at the situation, _he_ was the main source of Jeremy's pain.

And he needed to put an end to it. Even if the idea made him want to put his gun in his mouth, he had to set Jeremy free because Jeremy did deserve better. No matter what he felt for him, he wasn't going to be able to give him what he wanted and Jeremy deserved a chance to find happiness with someone who wasn't damaged like him.

Jeremy snuggled into him, his face resting comfortably as his lips unconsciously pressed against his heated skin. He was going to miss being with Jeremy like this, where he could pretend that he and Jeremy were more than what they were now, that they were both happy together. Eventually, Jeremy's eyes fluttered open, a smile coming to his face when he saw Tyler.

"Hi," he whispered, voice thick with sleep. Tyler forced a small smile and a "hey" back.

"I thought you would have been at work. You're always up so early."

"I don't have to go in until later," he murmured, guilt pooling in his stomach when Jeremy snuggled into him. "You okay…from last night?"

"I'm fine," he murmured. "I don't know why I…freaked out that way but I promise it won't happen again."

"Don't be sorry Jeremy. It's my fault—I should have made sure it was okay with you before I did that and I'm sorry I didn't. That was a mistake on my part," Tyler pressed his lips together briefly before sitting up, Jeremy's arms falling to his waist. Jeremy frowned slightly but sat up as well.

"You were only disciplining me for disobeying you. You were just doing your job as my Dominant."

"My job as my Dominant is to make you feel safe, not to scare you," he heaved a deep sigh as he forced himself to continue. "I didn't realize until yesterday how much this has been hurting you. I never meant for you to suffer so much and because of me. I need to do right by you Jeremy—you deserve better than this and I won't keep putting you through this."

"What…do you mean?" Jeremy's heart started to sink with dread. "What are you saying?"

"I'm…I'm going to sign you over to Damon. He's a really good Dominant and he'll be good to you, better than I can ever give you," Tyler watched as Jeremy's face became stricken with grief. "I should have done this earlier and I'm so sorry I didn't. He'll take really good care of you Jeremy, you'll be…happy with him."

"You…you don't want me anymore?" his bottom lip trembled. "But—I thought that—last night we…"

Tyler closed his eyes, steadying his breathing before looking at Jeremy's wounded face once more. "It's not like that Jeremy; I have to do what's best for you. Part of my responsibility as your Dominant is realizing when you're no longer happy and I have to fix it. You'll be better off with Damon than you will be staying with me—he can give you the attention and care you deserve."

Jeremy bit his lip hard and squeezed his eyes shut to hold in the tears; he couldn't help but feel used as images of last night flashed through his head, taunting him. He had believed that last night was a turning point, that things would be different this time because Damon had _said_ they would. And they slept together—didn't that mean anything to Tyler?

"Then—then why did we—" he took a deep breath to steady his voice. "Why did you sleep with me?"

"I…It was a mistake. Last night shouldn't have happened."

As soon as the words left his mouth he wished he could take them back because that was the _farthest_ thing from the truth. Jeremy turned his head to the other side to hide the tears that had suddenly started falling and with shaking hands he quickly got out of bed, pulling the blanket on top of the bed to wrap around himself. Tyler could tell it was taking everything in him to not break down and he wished the ground would open up and swallow him.

"Jeremy—"

"No, it—it's okay, I get it," he sucked in a wobbly breath as he quickly walked to the bathroom, voice hoarse as he spoke. "Y-you don't need to explain any—any further."

"No, wait—Jeremy!" Tyler sprung from the bed just as the door was slammed shut. He tried to twist the door handle but Jeremy had already locked it. He sighed and pressed his forehead to the door. "Jeremy, come out, please. That came out wrong…I didn't mean it like that."

He didn't receive a reply, the sound of the water turning on for the shower filling the silence. Tyler gave a frustrated sigh and hit the wall next to him, wondering how he could have screwed up so badly before noon.

"Jeremy, _please_ come out."

Inside the bathroom Jeremy slid down the wall after turning the shower on, trying to keep his face straight and his sobs in as his lips trembled and tears fell. He wished with all his heart that Tyler would just go away; there was nothing he could say to him at this point that would make this any better. Tyler thought the whole thing was a mistake; he gave him a pity fuck and now he was pawning him off to his best friend because he was tired of dealing with him. He wholeheartedly believed that things would be better and now he realized what a complete _moron_ he was for letting Damon talk him into coming back here. He should have just gone to Bonnie's and put all this behind him because no matter what he did now he was only going to be seen as the poor, needy orphaned submissive who was desperate for Tyler Lockwood's love and attention. Poor naïve Jeremy Gilbert who was so desperate to find love he opened himself to the first person who had shown him something other than physical pain and gave him everything so unwittingly that he didn't even realize he wasn't getting anything back.

He stuffed the blanket in his mouth just as a loud sob escaped his chest and he leaned against the cabinets by the shower. He could still hear Tyler pounding on the door, begging him to come out and he was sorely tempted to tell him to go fuck himself but he wouldn't be able to get the words out before he broke down. Instead he decided not to give him the satisfaction of answering as he tried to hang onto what little pride he had left, though at this point it was barely a sliver. How could one person make him feel on top of the world and then shatter him completely? How could Tyler _do_ this to him? More importantly, his mind sneered, how could he have not seen this coming? Why would _anything_ change between them when Tyler was to be married in a few months? He was still just a toy for him to play with until he got bored and went to find his next piece of ass. He didn't mean anything; he never did and never would.

He heard his bedroom door close and he pulled the blanket out of his mouth, a couple sobs bubbling from his chest as he tried to control his breathing. He remembered that the shower was on and he shrugged the blanket off his naked body as he crawled into it and pulled the door shut. He leaned against the wall letting the warm water hit his face and intermingle with his tears as he finally let the sobs free.

* * *

"You alright mate?" Kol asked his partner quietly as they drove on the near empty streets of District Three that same morning. Matt grunted and shrugged as his reply but didn't comment, taking a long gulp of his coffee; he wouldn't dare tell Kol that the reason he got hardly any sleep the previous night was because of his sister and a kiss that shouldn't have happened. Kol frowned but said nothing else as they stopped at the house that was roped off with yellow tape to keep nosy citizens out of the ongoing investigation. Kol gave Matt another worried glance before stepping out of the car and meeting Captain Vaughn on the fake green lawn of the two-story house, Matt trudging behind him.

"Thanks for meeting me," Vaughn shook both their hands before leading them through the back gate of the house, revealing a nice sized pool with various pool toys scattered around and nice patio furniture sitting against the wall. He led them through the sliding glass doors and into the now bare living room and kitchen, big globs of red staining the carpet and splattering the walls even though it looked as if someone had tried to clean it off. "Take a look around."

"I thought you guys finished with this one?" Kol asked as he and Matt walked through the now house, coming to join their captain a few moments later. "Thought it was a burglary-homicide?"

"We did…until we found that nothing was stolen. They left everything valuable in the house," Captain Vaughn squinted as he looked in the corner of the patio door. "We found something on the woman—something that might belong to your father."

"What?"

"His mark."

"His mark?" Kol repeated with a frown. "What do you mean—?"

"The kind you've been looking for," he handed Kol the file he was carrying. "Look at the tattoo on the inside of her foot."

Kol pulled out the pictures taken of the dead brunette woman, frowning when he saw the tattoo of a blue rose with a black center on the inside of her ankle. "We found that mark in the exact same spot on three other women we found dead earlier this year. It's no coincidence."

"This is how he brands the people he steals," Matt muttered as Kol handed him pictures. "She was one of his?"

"She was at one point. Or this is a copycat tattoo."

"Is that why she's dead now—because she escaped?"

"I don't think she escaped—she would have been dead a long time ago."

"I doubt he would let her go…not if she was in the business," Kol muttered.

"Does she have a name?" Matt asked, frowning when the pictures of a child on a slab stared at him. "She had a son?"

"Her name's Miley Jenkins, wife to Paul Jenkins and mother to Aiden and one on the way," Vaughn finally turned to face them. "She was five months pregnant."

"What about him—was he into anything shady?"

"No, just your average Joe…though he did have a bit of a record ranging from robbery to assault. Grew up in a foster home so he didn't have much in the way of parents; this could have been a drug deal gone sour but there's something…off. I had a couple of the guys look into everyone they were associated with and they found a connection with two other guys that were murdered a couple months apart this year—they were all from the same orphanage. They were both shot in the back of the head, execution style—my guess is that someone was targeting them because these bastards didn't have a chance of fighting back. Something else we found in common? All three have records, mainly of assault and battery."

"So we're thinking revenge, then?"

"I don't know—whoever did this knew exactly what they were doing when they did it. A shame about the kids though—it take a certain kind of bastard to take the life of a child," Vaughn sighed. "I know you two have your hands full so I'm not expecting anything but I thought you would want to know about her tattoo. I left the files of the other women with the tattoos on your desks."

"We'll look into it Captain. Thanks," Kol shook his hand with a smile. "Did they get anything from the scene?"

"Multiple finger prints—three sets that they haven't been able to identify. It's probably going to take months for those to come back. They removed the bullets but they couldn't identify the gun."

"We'll do what we can," Matt gave the Captain a nod as he left. He turned to Kol when he was gone. "You think this is a lead?"

"It could be."

"But why kill an entire family—what's the point in that?"

"Because he likes to show power," Kol muttered bitterly as he thought of the times in his house where his father would always do something to prove he was the better man. "It's what Mikael does. He probably did this as a message to all his slaves and his goons—disrespect me in any way, betray me, and this is what happens to you."

Matt sighed and looked around the house again, not being able to help but wonder if Rebekah was still at their apartment where she was safe or if she went home to face her murdering father. His heart ached painfully every time he thought of her in that house—it made him sick that she was so close to him knowing all that she knew.

"Let's see if we can find anything they might have missed," Kol took the pictures of the crime scene out of the folder and threw it on the counter before going to back to the dead boy's bedroom.

* * *

Jeremy didn't know how long he sat in the shower, letting everything out until he was so exhausted all he could do was sit against the wall and let the water run over him; when his fingers were wrinkled worse than prunes he dragged himself from the ground and shut the water off. Stumbling out of the shower on his highly-uncoordinated feet he grabbed his fluffy brown towel and dried himself and his hair; he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror, his pale skin, his tired, dull red eyes and the dark circles that accompanied them, his mouth curved downward in a permanent frown his longish brown hair hanging limply from his head, his bones nearly sticking out. He dropped the towel and turned to face the mirror, cringing when he could, indeed, see most of his ribcage. He met his eyes in the piece of glass and nearly shuddered at how _dead_ they looked, how sad and pitiful they seemed. Was the person staring back at him really _him_? He looked…frail; he looked weak and frail, every bit like the poor, miserable orphan he was.

He kept staring, scrutinizing himself from every angle; the more he stared, the more he hated what he saw. He was hardly recognizable; the person staring back at him was a dull, empty shell that was slowly withering away. Why did he look so dead? What _happened _to him?

_He trusted the wrong man,_ he thought bitterly as he took a deep, shuddering breath and let it out slowly before running his hands over his tired face. All he wanted to do was fall back into bed and never wake up again. He was so damn _tired_ of dealing with his emotions and Tyler's hot-and-cold mood swings and he wished there was a way to turn everything off. He was tired of feeling nothing but pain that bombarded him at every turn in every direction; every time he felt safe to open up to someone he ended up hurt and he was _exhausted_. Maybe it was better for him to be alone; maybe he was better off not trusting _anyone_ because all they were going to do was let him down. All people did was hurt him; if he didn't open up to anyone, then he would never be hurt again. No one would have the chance to hurt him if he kept himself closed.

Taking another deep breath he cautiously opened the door, making sure that Tyler was gone before he walked out. Hurt bloomed in his chest that the man hadn't actually stayed to try and explain things but he pushed the thought to the side as he pulled on a shirt, boxers and jeans. He ran the towel through his hair again before throwing it on his bed and leaving, hoping that Tyler was gone and that Damon was around. He was getting out of this house as soon as possible; he wasn't going to let Tyler continue to use him like this. He had just made it down stairs when he was stopped by Elijah.

"You have a visitor," he stated formally before turning and walking back down. Jeremy frowned but followed him anyways; who would be coming to visit him?

When he entered the sitting room he gasped in surprise when he saw Bonnie sitting on the plush black leather couch, looking around the room with awe and slight envy, her grey pencil skirt coming to just above her knees and her shiny, black pumps tapping to an undisclosed rhythm. She quickly turned when she saw Elijah and Jeremy behind him and she beamed brightly. "Jeremy!"

"Hey Bonnie," he laughed as he caught her in his arms and squeezed her tightly. He didn't realized how much he had really missed her until he saw her. "What are you doing here?"

"I told you I was going to come check on you on my day off! I had to see if you were being treated right," she pulled back and frowned slightly. "You look exhausted Jere."

"Thanks," he rolled his eyes with a smile. "I'm fine—just getting over a cold."

"Are you _sure_ that's all it is?" she took a couple steps back to really look at him. "You look…different."

"It's the designer clothes," he turned slowly for her so she could admire them. "They fit better then my rags did."

"And they're designer," she eyes them enviously before beaming again and grabbing his arm. "So give me a tour—it's about time I actually see what this place looks like for real."

Jeremy laughed and nodded, leading her out of the room and into the dining room, living room, theater—Bonnie's mouth dropped at that—and finally outside. Bonnie tugged on his arm when they both saw Caroline tanning topless on one of the lounge chairs with her eyes closed and Jeremy had to laugh at the feeling of déjà vu from the first time he and Bonnie had seen her.

"Is that…his _slave_?" she whispered frantically. Jeremy laughed again and shook his head.

"That's Caroline—c'mon I'll introduce you." Jeremy started forward, calling Caroline's name. The blonde turned her head and squinted her eyes before she beamed and sat up. "Jeremy!"

"This is my friend Bonnie. Bonnie, Caroline," he laughed when Caroline shook Bonnie's hand enthusiastically, his best friend's eyes not able to stray from her uncovered chest. "She's Katherine's…niece. From Belgium."

"Wow—Belgium?" Bonnie exclaimed. "What are you doing out here?"

"Just visiting—my parents wanted Aunt Katherine to take me under her wing," she winked at Jeremy who flushed and lowered his head. "I've heard so much about you! Jeremy talks about you a lot!"

"Wish I could say the same—but _someone_ is too busy to call me these days," she elbowed Jeremy lightly in the side. "This is a nice place, can't say I'm not jealous of you Jeremy."

"It is pretty nice."

"And he's going to buy you your own place?"

Jeremy winced slightly, "Uhm…not exactly."

"What do you mean?"

"It's a long story," he quickly glanced at Caroline. "How long can you stay?"

"I have the whole day off."

"You should stay for dinner—we're having lobster tonight," Caroline interjected. "Tyler and Aunt Kat won't mind. And I think Damon is coming too."

"Damon _Salvatore_?" Bonnie's eyes widened like a bug when the blonde nodded. She turned to Jeremy, "You know _Damon Salvatore_?"

"Like I said…it's a long story," Jeremy laughed. "Let me show you the rest of the house first."

* * *

Tyler pressed his lips together as he swirled the amber-colored whiskey in his cup; he opened the bank account titled _Jeremy_ _Gilbert_ and gazed at the number on the screen for a moment before clicking on the transfer option and watching as $50,000 moved from his account into Jeremy's. Jeremy had no idea he had made an account for him and he would never tell him; the reason he had done all this was to give Jeremy a better life and he was going to keep that promise. After what happened this morning, Jeremy probably hated him but Tyler decided a long time ago that he would provide for Jeremy regardless. He was going to take care of Jeremy for the rest of his life the only way he knew how, even going so far as to include him in his will just in case anything happened to him.

The new amount was blinking on the screen when the transfer was complete; $500,000. Tyler sighed and ran a hand over his face; it seemed like a lot of money but it was nothing to him. He downed the entire glass of whiskey in one gulp and grabbed the neck of the bottle to pour more; his cup was half-way full he heard a knock on his door.

"Mr. Lockwood? Damon Salvatore is here to see you."

"Send him in," he called back as he quickly screwed the cap on the bottle and placed both the glass and the bottle in the deep bottom drawer of his desk. He looked up just as Damon entered the room and closed the drawer carefully with his foot as he sat at his desk without so much as a hello. He winced at the cut on his lip and the shiner that he was sporting and he was immediately flooded with guilt.

"You have a lot of nerve summoning me. You're lucky I even answered," Damon snapped.

"I know…I wanted to apologize for yesterday. I was out of line."

"You think?"

Tyler gave him a withering glare, "I'm trying to apologize to you Damon—you could at least not be a dick about it."

Damon snorted and shook his head. "What do you want Tyler?"

Tyler sighed before he reached into his drawer and pulled out a folder; he slid it to Damon and watched as the elder man opened it, eyebrows shooting upwards in surprise as he looked at Tyler again. "What is this?"

"Jeremy is officially your submissive. I signed him over to you," he licked his lips and gave another tired sigh. "You were right Damon—everything you said about him was right. He's lost himself and he deserves a lot better than this…than me."

Damon stared at him at a slight loss; he certainly hadn't expected that. "What made you change your mind?"

Tyler sighed deeply. "I didn't realize how much he's changed because of this—he's not the same person I met at my party. I was careless with him and now…" he shook his head and looked out the window. "I'm not good for him—I doubt I ever was. I wish I would have realized that before I ruined him."

Damon watched as Tyler rubbed his eyes and he felt _slightly_ bad that he felt so guilty. "Look I know you didn't mean to hurt him—"

"No, that wasn't my intention but it happened, just like it does with _all_ my subs," Tyler gave a bitter laugh. "Clearly I'm not cut out to be in complete control of someone else because I always manage to fuck them over somehow. Jeremy placed his trust in me and now he's a wreck. I messed up with him Damon, I know I did. But maybe if he's with you, he can get better."

"You know what to do to make this better Ty," Damon murmured. "End it with Rebekah. Come _clean_."

Tyler felt a lump forming in his throat. "I can't Damon. I can't."

"Yes you _can_! You don't need to be married to her to keep all this—I wouldn't let them take everything from you without a fight Tyler, I've always got your back! Don't choose to make yourself miserable because you think it's the best thing to do! Do the right thing for _yourself_ and for Jeremy!"

"He's scared of me Damon," Tyler murmured. "He's too far gone—he's doing what he needs to keep me happy. He's doing what he knows will help him survive. I never wanted our relationship to be that way and the only way I can help him now is by letting him go."

The lump grew in his throat and his eyes burned; _God_ he could use that whisky hiding in his drawer right now. "I have an account for him—I've been saving money for him just in case he ever wanted out. I want to keep supporting him even though he'll be your submissive. I don't want you to tell him where the money is coming from."

"Tyler—"

"No, let me finish. I promised myself I would give him a better life and I failed. Let me at least do this for him. He deserves…so much more than he's ever been given and you can use the money from his account to see that he does. I'll transfer money on a monthly basis—anything he wants or needs, see that he gets it, please."

He felt exhausted just talking about all of this; he didn't think it could hurt any more than it already did but he was wrong, telling someone else about the damage he caused to Jeremy was more tragic than it was to admit it to himself.

"Why are you doing this to yourself?" Damon exasperated. "Why are you so _scared_ to admit how you feel about him? You're putting yourself through hell for no reason!"

Tyler sighed deeply, feeling older than his twenty-three years of life. "I told you…he deserves better than this."

"Bullshit—he _loves_ you Tyler! Do you not understand what that means? Jeremy doesn't _want_ anything better, he wants _you_!

"Damon, just let it go," the burning in his eyes started intensifying. "He's in your care now. None of this matters—what I feel doesn't matter."

It took everything in Damon not to reach across Tyler's desk and throttle some sense into his best friend. He'd never seen him look so exhausted, not even when he was recovering from the drugs and it angered him that Tyler could fix this—knew _how_ to fix it—but he believed that he needed to keep up this ruse to make everyone happy.

"Can you just explain to me _why_ you think your mother will spurn you forever if you don't marry Rebekah? I know you've done stupid shit in the past that you're trying to make up for but I'm pretty sure that doesn't mean you need to torture yourself!"

"Damon—"

"Do you think that you _don't_ deserve to be happy because of everything you've done? Or are you embarrassed that Jeremy isn't worth millions and he'll never hold a position of power?"

"No," Tyler suddenly snapped. "I could care less about how much he's worth. This has never been about that."

"Then why…?"

"If I don't marry Rebekah I'll lose the resources I have to provide for my family including Jeremy." Tyler tipped his head back. "What kind of man would I be if I couldn't even provide for him? How could I give him a better life if I have _nothing_ to give? "

Damon was struck into silence at that; it just occurred to him then that Tyler believed he had to do this for the sake of _all_ of them, Jeremy included. He was scared that his family would be destroyed if everything was taken from them just as his father was taken away from him and he loved them too much to let them go through that pain. More so, he wanted Jeremy to have the life he thought he deserved, whether or not it included him. He was going to continue to do what was necessary to make sure his every need was met and the only way he could do that was by giving up his own happiness to marry someone he didn't love. He was going to do _anything_ to give Jeremy a better life, even if it meant sacrificing his happiness. And he had pushed Jeremy away these past couple of weeks, made him believe that he didn't matter so he could move on while he provided for him silently and watched over him from a distance. Tyler didn't need to admit his feelings for Jeremy out loud, Damon suddenly thought; he was proving them, right here and now without saying anything at all.

Damon groaned inwardly as he felt the guilt settling into him for not thinking of this sooner. Now he felt like an asshole for picking so many fights with him when he truly believed he was doing the best thing for the people he loved.

"I know you think I'm a coward—and you're right, I am for not telling him the truth—but I can't bring myself to be so selfish that I would give up being able to make his life better. My feelings won't put food in his mouth or a roof over his head or clothes on his back. I'll marry Rebekah and he'll continue to be well provided for no matter the circumstances. You'll _all_ be provided for, I promise."

"Tyler…you don't need to do this," the raven-haired man said weakly. "You don't need to suffer on our behalves. We'll be _fine_."

"It's done, Damon," Tyler muttered. "Just…take care of him for me."

He heard Damon sigh again and he closed his eyes as the burning intensified, not turning around to see his friend out. He turned when he heard the door close and pulled out the whiskey he had hidden earlier and downed the glass before setting it back in the drawer and drinking directly from the bottle.

* * *

The rest of the day passed by in a blur as Jeremy forgot about Tyler in favor of his best friend; he could honestly say he missed this. He missed the normality and the fun that Bonnie brought into his life and he loved that she and Caroline seemed to get along well though she had mentioned the blonde seemed a bit neurotic. He couldn't help but laugh when dinner—which turned out to be a five-course meal—was served and Damon made his entrance, fixing Bonnie with a charming smile and a kiss to the back of her hand that made her swoon.

"We've heard a lot about you Bonnie—I feel like you and I are friends now," he winked at her, making her face heat up. "I was wondering when Jeremy would invite you over."

"If I waited for Jeremy to invite me you guys would have never met me," she joked good-naturedly. "It was my day off and I missed my best friend—I had to make sure he was being taken care of here."

"He has been nothing but wonderful," Katherine shot Jeremy a warm smile that he returned. "We are lucky to have him here."

"Yeah, he's alright," she pinched Jeremy's side lightly as everyone laughed. Everyone except for Tyler who watched them with longing. From the time he had walked in Jeremy hadn't spared him a glace—at first he thought it might have been because of Bonnie's presence but when it was Katherine who introduced him to Bonnie officially he knew that Jeremy was ignoring him that hurt more than he wanted to admit.

"So how long are you staying Jeremy?"

Jeremy paused in putting a prawn in his mouth to look at her, "What do you mean?"

"I mean when are you moving into that new apartment? Or are you just going to live here from now on?"

Jeremy slowly ate his shrimp as everyone's eyes turned on him expectantly; he met Tyler's smoldering eyes at the head of the table and they held each other's gaze.

"Actually…I'm going to live with Damon. Those guys that beat me found out I was here so Damon's offering me a room at his place since they don't know where he lives," his eyes never left Tyler's as the lie rolled off his tongue.

"What? That's insane!" Bonnie cried, oblivious to the intense staring contest going on between the billionaire and her best friend. "How did they find you here?"

"I don't know—they're really determined to finish what they started." He took a long gulp of water before speaking again. "I'm actually really glad you came today because I'm leaving tonight."

He couldn't help but feel a little smug when Tyler suddenly choked on his beer and broke his stare. From the corner of his eye he saw Katherine ask if he was alright and Tyler waved her away; Damon looked a little shocked but mostly amused as he looked between Tyler and Jeremy.

"Tonight? Since when?" Tyler finally managed. Jeremy shrugged and turned back to Bonnie, who was the only one that didn't notice Jeremy's blatant brush-off.

"Wow—I came at the right time then!" she beamed and took another bite of her steak, not noticing the sudden tension in the room. "Will I get to see you or are you going back into protective custody?"

"No—you'll be welcome any time," Damon answered before Jeremy could create another lie. "They don't know where I live and my home is pretty secluded. They'd have a hard time getting past the security guards at the gates."

Bonnie nodded, clearly impressed before she turned back to her friend. "I can't believe these thugs are working so hard to find you Jeremy! What'd you do to piss them off?"

"I survived," Jeremy gave a light chuckle. "But it's fine, I've been well protected here and they've been really good to me. I'm grateful to them."

He couldn't meet Tyler's eyes that were boring into his skull. Katherine and Caroline shared a look but didn't say anything, opting to take a drink from their glasses instead. They were slightly relieved when Jeremy asked Bonnie a question that changed the subject but they could still feel the awkward tension thick in the room.

**Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

"Goodnight Bonnie," Jeremy hugged her tightly before she got in the car and drove around the driveway before taking off down the road. He watched until she was out of sight, letting out a tiny sigh of relief when she was gone.

"Well that was interesting," Damon chuckled quietly next to him. "I don't think Tyler was aware you were planning on leaving so soon."

Jeremy snorted but didn't comment. "I'm sorry I put you on the spot."

"You didn't. Since she plans on coming to see you soon I guess you should be at my house when she shows up," he turned to Jeremy. "If you really wanted to come home with me tonight you could."

"Really?"

"Yeah, Tyler and I already did the paperwork," he clapped Jeremy on the shoulder before turning to go inside. "Go pack your stuff."

Jeremy watched him go back in the house, his heart pounding and sinking into his stomach all at once; he hadn't actually thought that his lie would become a reality so soon but he wasn't going to waste the opportunity. He wanted freedom from the hell his life had become; he wanted to be free of his unrequited feelings for his ex-Dominant. He would miss everyone dearly but he couldn't wait to get out.

The first of the outside lights had started coming on as he turned and walked back inside; he would miss this house, he would miss Caroline and Katherine, he would especially miss Tyler and all the memories they shared here. This place had been more of a home in the last ten years than anywhere else he lived and he would miss that feeling of belonging somewhere and accepted for who he was. Maybe he would find it again with Damon.

He was halfway down the hall to his room when he heard his name being called; he stopped cold, making sure his emotions were under control and took a deep breath before he turned to face Tyler with an impassive stare.

"So…you're leaving tonight?" he asked lamely, wanting nothing more than an excuse to talk to his now ex-submissive. Jeremy nodded once, not bothering to answer with words lest he lose his reign on his emotions. Tyler continued to stare at him expectantly, waiting for him to elaborate and sighed when he didn't.

"I know this isn't ideal…but it really is for the best Jeremy. I'm not doing this to hurt you."

"Right," Jeremy muttered. Tyler frowned at his tone.

"About what I said this morning—"

"You don't owe me any explanations Tyler," Jeremy cut off. "You made it clear that it was a mistake so you don't need to make up some cushioned excuse to spare my feelings. I'm no longer your responsibility."

Tyler watched slightly dumbfounded as Jeremy turned and started walking away from him; before he could stop himself he was going after him. "Jeremy—wait Jeremy!" he pulled him back again. "We need to talk about this—!"

"About what?" Jeremy choked out a painful laugh past the hard lump in his throat. "You don't want me here anymore, you made yourself perfectly clear! What more is there to talk about?"

"I don't want things to end like this between us," he loosened his hold, slightly shocked at Jeremy's aggressive tone. "I want us to be okay…no hard feelings or anything."

Jeremy stared at him in disbelief, unsure if he was feeling more anger than hurt; was he really asking this of him after he called their night together a _mistake_? He pulled his arm out of Tyler's hold, laughing deprecatingly and he decided he was definitely angrier at the moment.

"You tell me you made a mistake when you slept with me and now you want there to be no hard feelings?" he looked away, blinking rapidly to hold back angry tears. "Why do you keep _doing_ this to me Tyler? How many times are you going to humiliate me for it to be enough?"

"What are you—?"

"You slept with me out of pity and you now have the _nerve_ to ask me to be okay with that! You _know_ how I feel about you and you tell me that it was all a mistake when you had _no_ problem with it last night! I honestly didn't think it was possible for me to feel any worse about myself when I ran away but you've managed to bring me to a new low Tyler so thank you—thank you for humiliating me _again_," he shook his head, that same bitter look on his face.

"I never meant anything to you, did I? This was all just a game for you—so you could satisfy your need to control people with sex and manipulation."

"No—Jeremy this was never a game!" Tyler blurted, mind still reeling over Jeremy's outburst. "How could you even think that?"

"It's what you _do_!" he countered, his voice going up an octave in his anger. "You're _notorious_ for wooing people into your bed for a night of fun and moving on the next day! Sex doesn't mean anything to you—it's just your hobby and I was just another conquest," one tear fell and he wiped it away quickly. "You should have never brought me here when you found me—you should have just left me in the hospital."

Tyler felt his heart sink as he listened to the hurt and anger in Jeremy's voice, a sharp sting of pain going through him as he listened to what Jeremy was saying. Although he wanted to, he couldn't deny that Jeremy was partially right; sex _hadn't_ meant anything to him. It was all fun and games until he met the younger boy; now he couldn't imagine going back to that life, he couldn't even _fathom_ sharing his bed with anyone else now but that didn't matter because he was selfish with his needs _again _and he didn't think about how Jeremy would take his indirect rejection. He hated himself for being such a dick; he would be lucky if Jeremy ever forgave him at this point let alone ever want to _speak_ to him again.

"I swear I never meant to hurt you Jeremy," Tyler said, his words borderline pleading. "I never meant to lead you on—that was never my intention—"

Jeremy shook his head. "You keep saying that and I want to believe you but I can't. Because if sleeping with someone that you _know_ has feelings for you isn't leading someone on then I don't know what—" he shook his head with another painful laugh and took a deep, shuddering breath to compose himself. "I have tried and tried and _tried_ to understand why you would treat me like this or what I could have done to make you angry but now I realize that I'm just another stupid shmuck who fell for the words of a bored billionaire who's out to set a world-record on how many people he can get in his bed. All I am is entertainment until you have to get married—you don't care about me," he let out another cynical laugh as a thought came to his mind. "I'm just your charity case—poor, pitiful abused orphan with barely enough money to pay his rent and you, the wealthy billionaire that _everyone_ loves comes to save him like he's a hero."

"No—no it's _not _like that Jeremy! And you can't blame all this on me—I _told_ you the conditions and terms of this agreement and you agreed to them when you signed that piece of paper! You knew what you were getting into! You had a choice and you chose to submit!"

"But I _didn't_ have a choice! You _blackmailed_ me—you told me you would fire Bonnie if I didn't do this so what was I supposed to do Tyler? I wasn't going to let you take her job away from her!"

"You still had a choice," Tyler hissed, even though he knew it wasn't true. He knew that as kind as Jeremy was, he would have chosen to save his friend. "You're just as much at fault as me."

"So if I would have said no you would have allowed Bonnie to keep her job?" he demanded, dreading the answer but he still had to know. He watched Tyler closed his eyes and he felt his heart sinking into his stomach.

"I never…I was never going to fire her," he sighed quietly. "I only said that so you would give in to submitting."

Jeremy choked out a half-laugh, half-sob; he really _was_ a fool. A stupid, loveless fool.

"I'm such an idiot," he wiped his eyes discretely, the lump in his throat nearly becoming too big to talk past. Tyler reached out to him and Jeremy threw his hand off quickly.

"Jeremy—"

"I _trusted_ you!" he yelled, startling Tyler. "I trusted you with _everything_! And this whole thing has been a lie from the beginning!" He glared at Tyler with angry, accusing eyes. "You'll do or say whatever it takes to get what you want, won't you? Who cares about the number of people you hurt—just as long as you get what you want, right Tyler?"

Tyler wasn't sure if he was to answer that but he shook his head in denial anyways; he felt sick at Jeremy's words, his breath hitching in his throat as they stabbed him. It was just as Damon had said; Jeremy resented him, _hated_ him for putting him through hell for no reason and he had no one to blame but himself.

"Jeremy—look, I'm sorry, okay? I'm _sorry_!" he grabbed his arm when Jeremy turned to walk away from him again. "I hate that this hurt you but you have to believe that I'm only doing what's best for you! I shouldn't have blackmailed you but I knew you would never have said yes otherwise and I knew that I could help you! I do care about you Jeremy; I want you to be happy! That's why I'm doing this—it's never been to hurt you! I would _never_ intentionally hurt you like this! I'm doing this—everything I've done has been for your own good! Everything I'm doing is _for_ _you_!"

He nearly gasped at the expression of raw anger and pain on his ex-submissive's face when he turned to him again. This was the face of a boy who had been let down by nearly _everyone_ in his life, now including someone whom he loved and trusted with everything he was. This was the face of a boy who had that trust broken one too many times and now…it would be close to a miracle if he ever trusted him again.

"I don't believe you," he hissed, pulling his arm free again. "You're nothing but a liar and I'll never believe another word you say."

The words stung sharply. "Jeremy, please—"

"No," he took a couple steps back. "You can tell yourself that it was 'for my own good' all you want but you did this for _yourself_. This was all for you—it was never about me."

"That's _not_ true—!"

"Just stop! Stop lying and making excuses Tyler! I'm done listening to you."

When Jeremy turned away this time he panicked; he couldn't leave things like this between them, even though Jeremy made it quite clear he wanted nothing to do with him.

"How many times do you want me to say I'm sorry Jeremy?" he cried, making Jeremy halt his steps. "I'm sorry that this hurt you—I'm sorry I can't give you what you want and I'm sorry that I blackmailed you into this! I never meant to put you through _any_ of this!"

"Then why did you?" he exasperated as he turned once more. "Why didn't you just send me away?"

And there it was; the question that everyone had been asking him since day one, the question that he _knew_ the answer to, he _still_ couldn't spit it out. Even with Jeremy standing right here, begging him for the truth he still couldn't give it to him out of sheer fear that it wouldn't be enough.

"No—no Jeremy that's not…you don't understand—"

"No, I don't. And I don't want to."

Tyler's face scrunched with annoyance and anger at himself and he went after Jeremy again because he just _couldn't_ let Jeremy go like this. He may not have been able to tell him but he could show him.

"You want to know why? _This _is why!" he growled as he grabbed Jeremy again and turned him around, smashing their lips together forcefully. He forced Jeremy's head down by his neck with one hand, his other arm wrapping around his waist tightly as he pulled him tight into his body despite Jeremy's muffled protests; he tried to push him away but Tyler grabbed him tighter. He forced his tongue into Jeremy's mouth and Jeremy's hands were gripping his face, returning the harsh kiss for a moment before he bit down hard, making him gasp in pain and pull away. Jeremy took this opportunity to shove Tyler hard to get as far away as possible. It wasn't enough as Tyler was grabbing him again and Jeremy swung his free fist into his mouth, making Tyler stumble slightly out of surprise. It didn't hurt as much as it would have if Jeremy hit him correctly but the fact that Jeremy hit him at all was enough to fill his stomach with dread. He stared at Jeremy in shock and Jeremy seemed just as shocked that he hit him before the hurt was back on his face and he started backing away from him.

"Don't _ever_ touch me again," he muttered before practically running down the hallway to his room and slamming his door when he was inside, leaving the billionaire standing alone with a cut lip and a growing lump in his throat to wonder if Jeremy would ever look at him the same. After what just happened, however, he didn't think they would ever be okay.


	23. Chapter 23

**It's back! Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the wonderful reviews! I love you all :D.**

**This chapter was split into two parts; a lot happens and it was too long to post in one sitting. ****I hope to have the second part up soon! Enjoy! And don't forget to leave a comment or review, let me know what you think! :)**

**Sorry for the lack of BDSM lately, but it will return! I promise it will be worth it ;).**

**Warnings: OOC-ness, angst, drama**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

* * *

The sharp knocking at the door startled Matt out of his sleep and he nearly fell off the couch. He blinked sleepily and looked around in confusion before the knocking started again. Matt stumbled to his feet and opened the door without looking through the peep-hole; he groaned inwardly when he saw Rebekah staring back at him. She was the last person he wanted to deal with at the moment, considering the half hard-on he was sporting from dreaming about her.

"Hi," she peered at him through big baby-blues. He grunted a reply, choosing to look at his feet instead of her face. "Is Kol here?"

"He had to run to the office, he'll be back later," he shifted, hoping she couldn't see what he was trying to hide under his sweats.

"How much later?"

"Not sure." He really couldn't deal with this right now, not while his dream was still fresh in his memory and so vividly.

"I don't mind waiting, I'd rather not be at home right now," she pushed past him as she let herself in, brushing against him accidentally and he nearly flinched at the contact. She paused in the small hallway just before the living room. "Were you sleeping? Did I wake you?"

"No—no it's—your good," he scrambled past her and quickly moved the blanket and extra pillow he'd been using, throwing it over the arm. She gave him a smile before making herself comfortable, leaning to one side to pull her tight mini-dress down. Matt couldn't help but stare at her, his eyes traveling from her midsection down to her exposed legs and couldn't help but lick his lips as he thought of them as they were in his dream, wrapped so tightly around his waist as they—

"Matt?" he blinked at the sound of his name. "Did you hear me?"

"Sorry?"

"I asked if you were alright."

"Yeah—fine. I'm fine." _I'll be better when you're gone._

She smiled again and he forced one back. A slightly uncomfortable silence had taken over as they both looked anywhere but at each other, the past night lingering over them like a strong stench. Matt was debating on whether or not it would be rude if he just left Rebekah out here to wait for Kol while he hid in his room and then scolded himself for being a coward.

"I…um," he watched as she bit her lip and he thought of their kiss again. How badly he wanted to do it again. "About what happened…the other night—"

"It's okay," he cut her off. "It's fine Rebekah, you don't have to explain anything."

"I normally don't make the first move," she continued as if she wasn't interrupted. "Normally the men that want my affections don't have that problem but you…you pushed me away after I gave you what you wanted. You want me and you refused me."

Matt sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I told you Rebekah, I won't disrespect you or Tyler by helping you cheat on him. That's not fair to him."

"You want me," she repeated as she stood, walking closer to him. He felt his head get a little cloudy when he caught the scent of her musky perfume. "I _know_ you do."

Matt nearly jumped when she touched him; he hadn't realized that she had gotten so close. He knew he should push her away but he felt powerless against her scent and her hands on him; he looked down and saw that her red heels matched her red mini-dress. She was captivating up-close.

Rebekah looked at him through her perfectly black lashes as she trailed one hand up his chest, inching even closer to him and, inevitably, pressing against his manhood, making her smirk slightly.

"I knew it," she breathed before pressing their lips together. Matt reacted quickly, bringing her closer and pressing her into his erection, making both of them groan. She wrapped her arms around his neck, his arms enclosing around her lower back; he walked her backwards into the wall of the hall entrance making her moan into the kiss when her back hit it. Their kiss grew in intensity, the friction hot and demanding. His lips found their way to her neck and she threw her head back against the pillar as his hands roamed over her body, from her arms to her breasts to her behind and finally cupping his hands under as he lifted her up, her legs going around him securely as they grinded against each other. Their lips met again fiercely and he couldn't think about the fact that she was engaged anymore or that Kol would probably kill him for doing this. He wanted her and she wanted him and that was enough. He couldn't get enough of her, how perfect she felt against him, the way she moved, her scent, her smile, her lips, everything was driving him insane. He was so lost in the moment that he didn't hear the telephone ringing but he ceased all movement at the voice that started speaking on the answering machine.

"Hey mate, I was going to stop by that Chinese place you love so much for dinner. Call me back to let me know what you want."

The machine beeped again, startling Matt out of his stupor. He carefully lowered Rebekah to the floor before backing to the other side of the room. His erection was long gone as he thought about Kol, his brother, and the fact that he was going to fuck his sister against the wall. His _engaged_ sister, to one of the most powerful men in the city.

"What's wrong?" she frowned.

"This is…Jesus, what the hell am I _doing_?" he whispered to himself. She started to come closer and he held out his hand. "Don't. Stay over there."

"What's wrong Matt?" she felt confused but she felt dread seeping into her at the same time. "This is what you want, isn't it?"

"It's what _you_ want," he hissed, his tone vicious enough to make her step back. "I never wanted to cheat on Tyler but you put me in that position because _you_ have this—this fucked up notion that you can do whatever the hell you want and it won't hurt anyone! You're fucking _engaged_ Rebekah! You can't just…throw yourself at other men like this!"

Rebekah felt as if she'd been slapped. "Throw myself at other men? You're the one who had me pinned against the wall! Don't act as if this is all my fault, you want this too! You can't deny that you want me!"

"No I can't," he admitted. "But I should have never let myself get involved with you. I shouldn't have let this continue but it ends here. _We _end here."

Rebekah stomped her foot in frustration. "What is it with you and your honor to Tyler? He is nothing but a calloused, self-obsessed playboy who sleeps with every person he meets! He's not the saint you think he is; he doesn't honor our engagement in the least!"

"That's between you and him," Matt said firmly. "I'm not going to be a part of this game Rebekah. You wanna have someone on the side, that's fine, but I'm not that guy. I'm not some toy you can play with and just throw away when you get bored."

She laughed harshly to cover her pain of being rejected again by him. "You think you're so honorable but had my brother not called you would be having me against the wall right now! Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are doing the right thing and _I'm_ wrong, because it was different a few moments ago! You weren't thinking of Tyler then, were you? So long as I had my legs around you everything was fine!"

"The only reason that happened is because you threw yourself at me just like you do with God knows how many other men! _You_ came onto _me_ even though I told you why I couldn't do this but you just don't know how to take no for an answer do you? You'll do _anything_ to get your way with anyone you want, just like all your friends in your little inner circle. I don't know why I thought you were different; you're just as low and pathetic as them."

Rebekah's mouth fell open in shock, her eyes wide with surprise and anguish and hurt; tears welled in her eyes as she gazed at the blond officer, his blue eyes that were usually so kind and warm holding nothing but anger for her. She felt her hands starting to shake and she closed her eyes, not being able to look anymore; she turned away from him just as her tears had started falling and walked to the couch shakily to grab her purse. She had to get away from him; she couldn't stand to be near him any longer. Rebekah heard him sigh deeply but she didn't turn around.

"I'm sorry Rebekah, I didn't mean—"

"Yes you did," she snapped shakily. "You meant every word."

"No I didn—Rebekah wait!" he grabbed her arm as she marched to the door. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean any of that!"

"You said what you needed," she tugged her arm out of his grasp roughly. Tears kept falling and she kept her face turned to keep them hidden. "Since I'm so low and pathetic like my friends perhaps I'll just stick to my inner circle. At least they have money to enjoy luxury and power; you're not worth a thing and I don't know why I bothered with you in the first place."

He let go at her biting words and she twisted the handle, opened the door and slammed it shut, not once looking back.

* * *

Damon watched with a frown as Jeremy cleaned the swimming pool slowly, looking as if it was painful for him to move; he had been living with him for a week and it seemed his depression had gotten worse. Everything that had happened between him and Tyler was taking its toll; he was shutting down and he had no idea how to fix it.

The playboy pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to smother the frustration he felt; he didn't know what the hell he was thinking, taking Jeremy in like this. He _never_ did well with moody, needy submissives like Stefan said; why he thought this would be different, he didn't know. Perhaps it was today in particular that Jeremy was extra moody and while he understood, he was still trying—very hard—to not bang his head against the wall. However, he wasn't going to give up on Jeremy and no matter how frustrated he felt, he would get over it and find another way to help him. He wasn't quitting on this kid; Jeremy needed him and damn it all if he abandoned him like everyone else.

"Having regrets?" Alaric's voice pierced through his thoughts. The raven haired billionaire turned to his butler with a smirk.

"Not at all. It's going to take him some time to get comfortable here."

"It's going to take _a lot_ of time," he leaned against the door as he watched Jeremy as well. "He's not one of your…preferred kinds of submissives."

"So you've noticed."

"It was hard not too; the fact that he isn't female was a big hint."

"I'm testing new waters. It's good to be open to new things Alaric, you tell me that all the time."

"You never listen to my advice. So why him?"

"Why _not_?"

Alaric shrugged. "You're not sleeping with him."

"Just because I'm Dominating him doesn't mean I have to sleep with him."

"It usually comes with the job with you."

"Not this time. I'm probably the last person he wants to sleep with anyway."

Before Alaric could ask what that meant the doorbell rang; he rolled his eyes at the smirk that came across Damon's face before going to the door, knowing who it was. Sure enough, Katherine was on the other side of the door; she smiled and greeted him with a hug and a kiss.

"Damon?" he called as he walked back into the sitting room with Katherine following him. "Ms. Pierce is here."

"Thanks Alaric," he grinned wolfishly at him. His butler rolled his eyes again but couldn't help but smiling back as he returned to the kitchen. The dashing billionaire stood and greeted Katherine when she kissed him on both cheeks.

"And where is the lovely Caroline? I thought you were going to show me that new scene you've been working on," he murmured against her hair. Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she laughed.

"She is doing her chores; I asked her to start them while I took mother and Carol out for brunch for Mother's Day. If she finishes them to my liking that will be her treat…and yours.

"God you are sexy in Dominatrix mode," he licked his lips. "Almost makes me want to submit."

She rolled her eyes as he laughed. Once he sobered up, he asked, "How is she handling today?"

"She is better. She was a little upset this morning but I think she is fine now, she is well distracted. How is Jeremy?" her smile dimmed when Damon shook his head.

"Not good, today's been hard. He didn't even want to get out of bed this morning. I asked him if he wanted to visit his parents but he wasn't up for it."

"Poor darling," Katherine sighed. "He should be celebrating Mother's Day like any other boy his age. It is not fair." She reached into her bag and pulled out a plate that was wrapped in foil and covered with a paper bag. "I brought this for him. I know that it is his favorite."

"He'll appreciate that." He took the plate from her and walked to the kitchen, Katherine following him; Alaric was busy preparing the dinner for the evening and was grilling at the stove while simultaneously checking something in the oven. "What are we having tonight _Chef_ _Boyardee_?"

Alaric rolled his eyes at the nickname but didn't turn around. "Raviolis…your favorite."

"You know I can't stand tomato sauce."

"That's why I made it pesto just for you dear."

Katherine laughed. "It smells wonderful Alaric."

"Thank you Katherine. Are you here to babysit?" he nodded his head in Damon's direction. She laughed again.

"No, I came to check on Jeremy."

Alaric nodded in understanding. "Maybe you can get him talking. He's barely said a word since he's been here."

"I think it has to do with Tyler. Caroline and I heard them arguing before he left last week. Jeremy sounded so upset," she sighed. "I wish there was more I could do for him."

"All we can do is support him. He's so emotionally drained that it's going to take time for him to get back to normal," Damon paused before he asked his next question. "How's Tyler?"

Katherine pressed her lips together and shook her head slowly. "He is not doing well either. He is drinking more, spending more time at the bars and coming home very intoxicated. He was too hung-over from the previous night to join us for brunch today. Carol is worried…she thinks this is the beginning of another spiral."

"God I hope not, that's the _last_ thing we need," Damon sighed heavily. Dealing with Jeremy was already hard enough; he couldn't handle Tyler's depression too. "He brought all this upon himself anyways. He doesn't have the right to be upset."

"You know that is not fair," Katherine admonished gently. "I am still angry with all he has done but he did not mean to hurt Jeremy."

"I know," Damon murmured. He looked outside and saw Jeremy sitting at the edge of the pool, his feet swinging slightly in the water and making little ripples.

"I thought you were going to have an intervention with Tyler?" Alaric asked. "Whatever happened to that Damon? He listens to you."

"He didn't this time. I thought Stefan could get him to realize that he didn't need to do this but nothing has worked. He's too set on giving Jeremy a better life," Damon shook his head before turning to Katherine. "I need to talk to you and Stefan about something, he should be here soon."

"Already here." They turned to see Stefan walking in, holding a key in his hand. "I let myself in. Everything alright?"

Damon turned back to see that Jeremy was still sitting by the pool before leading the two into the living room. He asked Alaric to bring them drinks before taking a seat across from the two sitting on the couch. "I think we have a situation."

"With Jeremy?"

He nodded. "The other day—when he ran away and I found him—he was running from someone. He said two guys ambushed him in an alley; he didn't say much about them but I could tell they were pimps."

Katherine gasped and brought a hand to her mouth. "Why did he not tell us this?"

"He didn't want anyone to know, especially Tyler."

"What happened to the men? How did he escape?"

"I don't know. He said two men in ski masks showed up and they helped him get away."

"Matt and Kol," Stefan murmured. Damon nodded. "That's what I was thinking."

"We need to find those men and have them arrested! They could come for him again!" Katherine exclaimed in clear distress. "He should have told us sooner!"

"I don't think this is a coincidence. You don't either, do you?" Stefan asked his brother quietly. Damon shook his head, ignoring Katherine's questioning eyes on him.

"No. I think Mikael is coming to collect; whoever bought him is getting impatient."

"What do you mean who bought him?" Katherine exclaimed. Why would they need to buy him?"

Alaric came in with their drinks and sat them on the table; they each thanked him, taking a sip of the strong alcoholic beverage before Stefan answered.

"Mikael's underground ring. His other business, the one that makes him billions, is human trafficking."

"More specifically sex trafficking. He sold Jeremy for millions, maybe even more. We almost got a name from his head pimp, Fitz, but Stefan burned down his house with him in it when he mentioned his wife," Damon scowled at his brother who scowled back. Katherine's mouth dropped in surprise.

"How does he know your wife?"

"Yeah, how _did _he know?" Damon glared at him. "How did Fitz know more about my sister-in-law than me?"

"It's not important—"

"The hell it isn't!" he snapped. "I'm trying to be patient Stefan but all the secrecy and lies are starting to piss me off! Who the hell is she?"

"Let it _go_!" Stefan snapped. "I told you I would tell you when the time was right! We need to focus on Jeremy; he could be in serious danger!"

"Then let us talk to her," Damon retorted. "We know Fitz knew her and considering his line of work it's safe to say that's no coincidence. She was one of Mikael's girls, wasn't she?"

"You don't need to talk to her. She doesn't need to be dragged into this."

"Jesus Christ Stefan! Stop being so goddamned paranoid!" Damon snapped irritably. "Why are you being so secretive about this? Katherine and I aren't a threat to your wife—she could give us a name, anything so we know who to watch out for!"

"I just don't want her involved," Stefan said quietly. "I need to keep her safe; I need you to respect that Damon. Please."

Damon narrowed his eyes, "From what? From who?"

"Damon—"

"Is it Mikael? Did he threaten her?"

"No—nothing like that."

"Then tell me what you need to keep her safe from and I'll leave you alone."

"It's…complicated."

"No it's not; you're making it that way." He paused as a thought came to him. "Did you _buy_ her from Fitz?"

"Of course not!" Stefan snarled heatedly. "I would never—!"

"Then how did you meet her?"

"She was…I found her at the marketplace and she…she was another man's slave."

"Who was he?"

"I don't know."

"Bullshit!"

"I'm serious Damon! Why don't you believe me?"

"This wouldn't be the first time you've lied about something important. You'll have to excuse me for being skeptical," Damon snorted. "You've lied about a lot of things over the years Stefan; it's getting hard to keep up with it all. And some of your lies have gotten so jumbled and twisted that you can't even make sense of them. That's one of the signs that you're slipping."

"Don't start," Stefan growled viciously. "Don't you _dare_ go there Damon! That has _nothing_ to do with this!"

"What should we think Stefan? You've lied to us so many times I don't know what to believe! You're being secretive, you have extreme paranoia to the point where you won't even tell me your wife's name! You won't tell me anything and I'm your _brother_!What the hell are we supposed to think?" Damon snapped. "I would ask if you still take your medication but you've lied about that before too!"

Stefan fixed his brother with a harsh glared and he returned it; Katherine looked between them both and sighed. She had been wondering for some time if Stefan was suffering from a relapse of his mental illness but she hadn't wanted to pry since the topic was sensitive for the younger Salvatore.

"It's under control Damon," he bit out. "I'm _not_ relapsing."

"That's what all schizophrenics say before they fall off the wagon," Damon retorted. "You all believe that your fine and that you don't need your pills and then you're right back where you started with the hallucinations and erratic behavior and your paranoia. How many times did you tell me you took your pills when you really flushed them down the toilet? How many times did you tell me you weren't hallucinating and I would find you talking to yourself when no one was there and making up wild stories that never happened? Too many Stefan, too fucking many."

"I'm not making any of this up! I take my pills every single day, twice like I'm supposed too. Elena makes sure I _never_ miss a dose." As soon as the words left his mouth, Stefan closed his eyes and berated himself for his slip-up. Damon and Katherine shared surprised looks.

"Elena is your wife," Katherine murmured softly, her heavy accent traveling throughout the room like a megaphone. The room was silent for a while, Damon and Katherine's eyes fully trained on Stefan and the younger Salvatore looking at the ground with a determined stare. He was tempted to lie but he would only be proving Damon right.

"…yes," he admitted in defeat. "Her name is Elena."

It was silent for a few moments before Katherine broke it.

"What should we do about Jeremy?" she changed the subject. Stefan gave her a grateful look. Damon sighed but decided to let it go for now.

"He'll be safe here. If someone were to track him here they would have to get past security and the gates and then me."

"It's Mikael, he can get past anything," Stefan sighed. "We need to hide him. That's the only way we're going to keep him out of danger."

"And where do you suggest we put him?" Damon snapped in irritation. "Regardless if he's here or somewhere else he's going to be found! He might as well just stay here and I'll deal with Mikael if he shows."

"Do you not understand that Jeremy was _bought_?" Stefan snapped back. "Whoever wants him is going to get him no matter what Damon! If they have to kill you to get to him, they will! They'll kill _all_ of us!"

"The hell he will! Mikael can kiss my ass because I'm not going to let him get anywhere near us. He doesn't even know where I live."

"He could easily find that out Damon," Stefan rolled his eyes at his brother's attitude. "You can't be cocky like this Damon, you need to be reasonable. Think about what's best for Jeremy."

"You don't think that's what I'm doing?" Damon's voice rose in anger. "He's going to be safer here than at any of my other homes Stefan! This is one of the most secured locations in Nivea! Mikael would have to be a ninja spy to get past these guards. He may be good but he's not that good."

"He nearly took Jeremy from a private event that not even the media knows about," Katherine murmured. "He must have known Jeremy was living with Tyler and I, he will find out that he is here too. Stefan is right, we have to hide him."

"_Where_?" Damon exasperated. "He can find any house in the city!"

"What about Europe?"

Damon frowned at his brother's suggestion. "What?"

"Mikael could find any house in Nivea but he can't find the ones over there," he sat again. "He has no idea where any of your houses are and he'd have a hell of a time getting their locations. If Jeremy goes to Europe, Mikael will have no choice but to forget about him."

"Or find someone to replace him," Damon snorted, though it didn't sound angry like before. Stefan shrugged.

"Maybe. We can worry about that once we make sure Jeremy's safe."

"But Europe is…so far," the brunette said softly, hating the thought of her family being separated.

"It is far…and it's exactly what he needs. Jeremy could probably use some time away after everything with Tyler, it'd be good for him to travel. Take his mind off of things. It's a win-win."

Damon stared at the coffee table in front of him, his conversation with Tyler from the other week replaying in his head; how would Tyler take Jeremy living a continent away?

"What do we tell Tyler?" he murmured finally. Stefan shrugged.

"Does it matter?"

"He's not going to be happy."

"He gave Jeremy to you. He has no right to be angry at you for taking him to Europe."

"He does if he's in love with him."

"He never said he was. In fact, he denied it over and over again."

Damon sighed quietly, wondering when his life had boiled down to squabbling with his brother over someone else's submissive.

"Jeremy's entire life is here. What if he isn't ready to leave it all behind? What if he's not ready to leave Tyler behind?"

"Then _make_ him want to go. Seriously Damon, this is the best thing for him."

Damon sighed again and nodded; he looked at Katherine and felt guilty at the look of resigned sadness on her face. He didn't want to leave her and she didn't want to see him go…but he would in order to keep his submissive out of Mikael's hands.

* * *

Tyler watched with a blank stare as his employee—he couldn't even begin to think of the man's name—demonstrated a new technique to advertise using online tools in the large business room where nearly thirty people were sitting stoically, staring with rapt attention. If he were to be completely honest, he had _no_ idea what this meeting was even about. His mind was too preoccupied with Jeremy to give a flying fuck about advertising to people about anything. All he could think about was how he missed Jeremy so much that it was physically starting to hurt; most days he struggled to peel himself out of bed and to keep living. It was as if a heavy weight had settled on his heart; he replayed their argument over and over in his head and he felt sick each time. The look of hurt, anger andbetrayal he saw on his once-submissive's face haunted him so much that it kept him up at night. He hadn't been able to sleep since Jeremy left; how could he when Jeremy hated him and it was _his_ fault? He tried to apologize for everything and take it all back but the damage was done. He'd done so much it _couldn't _be undone. Jeremy hated him and he couldn't salvage even their friendship, which he valued more than his friendship with even Damon sometimes. Not only did he miss Jeremy as his lover, he missed him as his friend. He missed just _talking_ to him.

"Mr. Lockwood? What do you think sir?"

Tyler blinked out of his stupor, cursing internally as he looked up at the board where the slide was being presented and saw that they had reached the end. He resisted looking at his colleagues, who were all waiting for his reply, and gave a light cough.

"Looks good, looks really effective…when is this supposed to start?"

"Whenever you approve of it, sir."

"Good, start it today," he stood and smoothed down his suit coat to give his hands something to do. "Great job, guys. Take an extra hour for lunch."

He walked out the office briskly, aware of people's eyes on him the whole way out, some with mouths open and gaping over the fact that he actually _complimented_ them. He tended not to dish out compliments; it made people think he would settle for a certain level of work and he always believed that people could push themselves to become better. Compliments from him were very rare, just like they were from his father whom he learned the ideology from.

He reached his office suite at the end of the hall in near record time, his name in bold, black lettering along with his title shining proudly on the front door. He walked in, nodding at Kate, his pretty brunette secretary, as he stopped at her desk.

"Morning Mr. Lockwood," she looked away from the computer screen.

"Morning," he returned. "What's my schedule?"

"You have a conference call with Maverick at the Russian site at four and you have dinner with Rebekah tonight at seven at the new Italian restaurant."

Tyler groaned as he tipped his head back. He had completely forgotten about that in his…preoccupation with Jeremy. "Can I get out of that?"

"I don't think you want to sir—her father already called twice to confirm that you were attending."

"Shit," he swore. "You're right—I shouldn't cancel, it would look bad, wouldn't it?"

"Very, sir. Mikael Mikaelson doesn't seem like he would be too forgiving either."

"Don't I know," he grumbled before sighing. "Call him back to confirm that I'll be there so he can stop harassing us."

"Right away sir," she sent him a quick smile before picking up the phone. Tyler smiled appreciatively before going into his office and shutting the door; he immediately went to the deep bottom drawer of his desk and pulled out the half-drunk bottle of tequila and his glass sitting next to it, prepared to pour himself a couple of drinks before his night of hell.

* * *

Rebekah sat on her stool facing her vanity as she applied blush to her cheeks robotically; the last thing she wanted to do after everything that had happened today was spend the night with her disreputable fiancé but her father ,once again, was forcing them out to show the public they were a happy, loving couple. All day she had been distracted by her argument with Mat; it hurt that he thought such awful things about her. She had honestly believed that Matt had felt the same way that she did him but it was clear that she was wrong about him, just like she was wrong about every other man she fell for. She thought that he liked her personality but to hear him say what he truly thought of her cut like a knife through the back. She felt betrayed by him, she thought he could see the real her and he was just as blind as everyone else. He had no idea the kind of things she had to deal with, things that he would never understand. He assumed that she was like every upper-class woman but she _wasn't_. She was different, she _had_ to be; she couldn't stand to be anything like the people she associated with because she couldn't stand _them_. She was different, better, and damn Matt for not realizing it!

She grabbed a smaller brush for her eye-shadow and a pallet with shades of grey and silver. This was why she never allowed herself to feel anything for men; she only wound up hurt as a result. The women she associated with, they had no feelings in the least. They were vain, self-centered and only cared about their well-being, doing whatever it took to stay on top. They only wanted men for their money and as accessories on their arm to show off at dinner parties. They only appreciated them as long as they doted on them with gifts and attention and lavish dates and—

Rebekah suddenly stopped applying silver to her left lid as she realized that Matt was right. Every characteristic she hated about the women in her circle, it was a characteristic she had as well. She used men for _all_ those things and if they didn't have enough money for her liking she tossed them aside in favor of someone else who had more to offer. She was no better than them; she was just as ugly and low and pathetic as them.

Tears welled in her eyes and she quickly blinked to keep them from falling; she didn't want to be that person anymore. She wanted to be what Matt had seen in her; the woman he was so kind to. She'd known for a long time that she wasn't happy and now she realized it was because she hated herself. She hated the person she had become and it had taken her all this time to admit it. Matt had simply seen her for what she really was; a cold, gold-digging, power-hungry tramp. The thought made a sob rise out of her chest.

A knock on the door interrupted her desolate thoughts; she wiped her eyes just as her father came in. She hadn't seen him in a few days but every time she did she became increasingly nervous that he knew that she knew everything about is illicit underground business. She sometimes worried that, if she wasn't careful, that she would become a part of it.

"You look beautiful," he murmured softly. He hadn't spoken to her like that since she was younger. Rebekah muttered a 'thank-you,' picking up her brush and pulling it through her hair that wasn't tied in an elegant bun to give her hands something to do.

"Tonight will be good for the two of you in light of all the recent scandal he's caused," he sneered slightly. "This is an excellent opportunity for the both of you to show everyone that your relationship is surviving. Show everyone that you love and support one another, that you are loyal to him no matter what."

Rebekah felt a lump forming in her throat and forced herself to nod, blinking to keep the tears out her eyes once more. Mikael squeezed his daughter's shoulder and she fought not to pull away.

"Smile Rebekah, it makes the public like you more. You need to look like the princess that I raised you to be, the future Mrs. Lockwood."

Rebekah said nothing as he squeezed her shoulder again and turned to leave; her heart rate started to return to normal but a new feeling of desperation overtook. She felt as if she would faint and she gripped the vanity with both hands to steady herself. She could feel _something_ bubbling within her and she blurted it out before she could stop herself.

"I don't want to marry him."

Mikael stopped dead in his tracks and Rebekah felt her heart stop when he faced her with his piercing glare. "What?"

"I don't…I don't want to marry Tyler," she ended on a whisper. Mikael continued to glare at her and she squirmed under his gaze. She saw something flash in his eyes and it terrified her that she might have just put herself in jeopardy.

"Why not?" he hissed. "We had an agreement Rebekah. You signed a piece of paper that's currently sitting in a file cabinet in the county hall stating that you would marry him for your inheritance!"

I know I did, but I can't. I don't love him," she turned to face her father. "I thought I could grow to love him but we just aren't any good for each other father. I don't want to marry someone I'll never love."

"You don't want to marry him because you don't _love_ him?" he sneered. "You would give up an inheritance of _millions_ because you don't _love_ him?" he threw his head back and laughed. Rebekah stared at him, alarmed and cautious.

"Let me tell you something Rebekah: this isn't a goddamned fairy tale! Marriage isn't about love, it's about convenience and it's about power! You and Lockwood are going to align the two most powerful families in Nivea and produce an heir to inherit an empire! There is no time for love when you are building a kingdom!"

"I should have a choice! It should be my right to choose someone I want to marry! You shouldn't get to decide for me! It's not fair!" she cried. "You're not the one who has to spend the rest of your life with them!"

"Life isn't fair Rebekah! You do what you need to do to get what you want! You want to keep living this lavish lifestyle, you have to make sacrifices! This isn't a free ride; you have to do your part!" Mikael yelled. "You have a duty to this family and to me to uphold! I let you live off me for twenty-two years, it's time you pay that back!"

"I'm your child! What choice did I have but to live off you?" she shot back. "I shouldn't owe anything to you, we're a family! A father lets his daughter follow her dreams and grow into the person she is meant to be! He lets her choose her own husband and experience real love! Have I not earned that? Have I not loved you or respected you enough for you to respect me too? Do you think I am not capable of finding love on my own that you had to trap me in this marriage I didn't want?"

"You should be grateful I was able to secure a man like Lockwood for you. You wouldn't have any hope of getting a man to marry you on your own. What man would want to willingly put up with you? If you didn't come from money, your chances of finding a husband would be slim to none. You have nothing to offer anyone!"

Despite telling herself she wouldn't, her tears started falling down her face. Matt's earlier words replayed in her mind and she felt sick. How could her _father_ say something so horrible?

"You are going to marry Lockwood whether you love him or not! I don't give a rat's ass if the two of you wind up killing each other afterwards, you _will_ walk down that aisle," he sneered when she sobbed. "Now quit acting like a drama-queen and clean yourself up. He'll be here any minute."

He turned away from his sobbing daughter and stalked to the door; he opened it and was almost to the hallway before he turned to her one last time.

"If you ever try to defy me again, I promise you will regret it Rebekah," his voice became menacing, dangerous, and it sent thrills of fear within her. "If you don't marry him, you'll have to pay your dues another way and I guarantee it will be much less glamorous than being Lockwood's wife."

He slammed the door in her wake yet she continued to stare at the spot where Mikael was once standing. Rebekah felt horror fill her and she tried to control her breathing, trying not to think about what her father had just threatened to do should she not comply. She quickly turned back to her mirror but she moved to fast and fell off the stool, immediately bursting into loud, terrified sobs that she muffled with her hands in the hopes her father wouldn't hear them.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

Tyler sighed when the limo pulled up to the restaurant and the paparazzi were already swarming the red carpeted entrance with celebrities and well-known socialites alike. He wanted nothing more than to tell the driver to take him to a bar; he wasn't in the mood for everyone wanting a look at him and didn't know how long it would take for one of them to piss him off. Next to him Rebekah was silent and he wondered why she wasn't nagging him before he decided he didn't care. He would welcome this silence while it lasted.

When the limo finally arrived at the beginning of the red carpet Tyler turned to her. "You ready?"

She merely nodded and he got out, jogging to the other side to open the door; she placed her freshly manicured hand into his and balanced on her black six inch heels that made her nearly a head taller than him before leading her around the back of the limousine to the red carpet; the sides were roped off with the traditional red, velvet barriers as journalists, photographers and fans screamed their names while trying to claw their way to the front. Rebekah felt as if she and Tyler were a spectacle, everyone watching and waiting for them to ruin their façade of a happy couple. It made her stomach turn uncomfortably and the pain in her chest grew greater, remembering her father's earlier threats if she didn't see this through.

They were greeted by the large, French doors by Frank Rizzoli, the owner of the brand-new Italian restaurant that had opened that night and his two daughters. They both gave Tyler appreciative looks and winks and the elder one brushed her long brunette hair back from her chest, revealing her breasts pushed up so much by her sleeveless blue mini-dress they sat like hills.

"Mr. Lockwood, Ms. Mikaelson! Very good of you to come!" he laughed heartily as he clapped Tyler on the back. Tyler wished he could feel the man's same enthusiasm but all he could think about was Jeremy; he couldn't help but wonder what he was doing while he was suffering like a caged animal. He hoped that he was doing alright with Damon, that he was happier.

_You don't have the right to wonder_, his conscious had reared its judgmental head. He was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't realized that Rizzoli had been talking to him.

"…will appreciate the special menu that we have prepared for you!" his thick Italian accent reminded Tyler of TonySoprano_._ "Please enjoy my friend!"

"Thank you Frank," Tyler smiled as he shook the man's hand again. He saw his daughter with the blue mini-dress stand a little straighter and he held back a smirk.

"Right this way, sir," a waiter had appeared at the door and they followed him into a large dining area that was lit by candles sitting in candle holders around the room and on the table. The walls were crème colored and looked freshly done, the carpet a shade lighter with a darker design spread throughout the room. The tables were all covered in standard white table cloth and the chairs were gold with an intricate design for the backs, part of the wood held together by white beads that looked like pearls.

The waiter led Tyler and Rebekah to a table that sat in the middle of the restaurant. He did his best to nod and smile at those who greeted him though he knew the smile did not quite reach his face; he turned to see that Rebekah was doing no better, her lips twisted downward in a permanent frown.

"Would you like to start with any drinks?" he asked formally. Tyler quickly ordered the most expensive champagne and the waiter nodded before leaving them alone. Laughter caught his attention and he looked up where a young couple was being seated; the young man pulled the chair out for his date and she beamed at him, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek before sitting down. Tyler watched them interact enviously, wishing that he was at home with Jeremy in his arms; he wondered if he was partying with Damon or if they were watching a movie and Damon was cuddling with him. The vision of them cuddling and laughing and _kissing _made him sear with jealously.

"What are we ordering?" Rebekah's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "He'll be back soon so we should decide."

"Get whatever you want, you're not paying for it," he sighed as he opened his menu. He missed her rolling her eyes.

"Honestly Tyler, you act as if you spend so much on me. It won't kill you to pay for dinner with your fiancée. You have more than enough money."

"I've spent thousands on you, starting with that engagement ring," he scowled. "It wouldn't kill you to be a little more grateful."

"Nor you!" she snapped. "After your little rendezvous with that woman from the bar you're lucky I'm still engaged to you instead of humiliating you in front of the press with your indiscretions! You should hear the rumors that go on about you—all the press needs is for someone to confirm them, someone close to you."

For a moment, Tyler wondered if she knew about Jeremy and he panicked slightly. "What _indiscretions_?"

"I'm not an idiot. I know that you haven't been at all faithful to me during this engagement, those pictures were proof. You've had multiple people—women _and_ men—in your bed and some even talk of all your…_toys_," she sneered at the word. "You and Katherine aren't as discrete as you think you are."

"Jesus Christ," he rolled his eyes in annoyance. "You really think those are true? There's a reason they're called _rumors_ Rebekah. People get bored and make shit up for people like _you_ to gossip about. You should know better than to believe them."

"Well thanks to the pictures people know that you've been up to _something_," she glared at him. "You could at least have the decency to _not_ be photographed in public with your sluts."

"Whatever," Tyler grumbled as he picked up his menu, effectively ending the conversation. Rebekah waited for him to say something else but picked up her menu again when he didn't; she felt tears starting in her eyes once more but she held them back and took deep breaths to stop the sobs from coming. She was tired of this, of pretending to be in love with someone that was never to see her as anything other than a nuisance. She couldn't pretend to love him when she was falling for another. Her father's threat came back to her and she shivered, reminding herself what she had to lose if she didn't go through with this. She didn't want to end up like the two people she found on her father's desktop those months ago. If she was going to be forced to marry Tyler, then she would at least try to be civil with him. Maybe they could become friends.

"How was your day?" she asked, trying to sound casual. Tyler looked up from his menu with an expression caught between annoyance and confusion.

"What?"

"I asked how your day was."

"Why do you care?"

"I'm trying to have a conversation. It usually requires two people to work."

"Two _willing_ people," he sneered. "Why are you being so nice all of a sudden? This isn't like you."

"As if you would know what I'm like," she snapped, getting defensive. "You don't know anything about me!"

"Nor do I care to." He went back to looking at his menu. Rebekah felt frustrated tears in her eyes but she refused to let them fall; at least she had tried to make their situation better but it seemed it wasn't meant for them to be anything more than two people who shared a bed occasionally and pretended to have the relationship that everyone praised. The waiter chose that moment to return.

"Would you like to start off with an appetizer this evening?"

"Yes, we'll have the…uh…" he quickly glanced at the menu, "the shrimp and cocktail sauce and the bruschetta."

"Very good," he gave a little bow before walking away, reminding him a little of Elijah. He turned back to Rebekah who was staring determinately at the menu still and he sighed before taking a long drink of the bubbly drink. His eyes unwittingly strayed to the young couple diagonal from them and envy resurfaced when he saw them holding hands across the table and talking lowly, lovingly; It made him sear with longing, wishing that he could be with Jeremy instead. In a perfect world he and Jeremy would be able to be seen in public together, and no one would care; he would hold his hand as they walked down the street, kiss him across dinner tables; they would laugh and smile and enjoy each other's company and no one would look at them any different if only to smile at them. Jeremy was someone he could honestly see himself spending the rest of his life with and the thought terrified him but excited him the more he thought about it. He could get used to waking up to those beautiful, warm brown eyes every day; he already was used to it since they shared the same bed. Who was he kidding? He was used to Jeremy around; he couldn't even function right because he wasn't there anymore. And that was his fault; he couldn't even fix it and that tore him apart.

His eyes strayed to the couple again, watching as the woman told the man something while she laughed, using her hands animatedly while he watched her adoringly, as if she were the only one in the room. He sighed and took another drink of Moet & Chandon; it was going to be a long night.

* * *

The day had come and gone and Jeremy still sat at the end of the swimming pool with his feet in the water, leaning back on his hands to watch the sun set in the purple and pink sky. He had always liked watching the sunset for its beauty and the peace it gave him; for some reason he always found that he felt better when the sky had taken on its pastel colors and the clouds swirled in their shades. He remembered when he and Tyler would watch the sunset nearly every evening; sometimes they would make love on the balcony until the sun set completely. That was always his favorite.

"_What's your favorite part about the sunset?"_

"_The colors, the way they all mix together," he sighed into Tyler's chest. "They all just…fit. It makes sense. I don't know."_

"_Sounds like something an artist would say," Tyler chuckled, bringing him in closer with his arm around him. "But you're right, it all fits."_

"_Yeah," he gazed at him through his lashes. "What's your favorite part?" _

_Tyler was quiet for a moment. _

"_Watching it with you," he murmured, looking straight into Jeremy's eyes. His heart pounded at the words and he beamed at his Dominant as he pressed their lips together softly._

Jeremy snorted and shook his head; he wasn't going to think about Tyler. He wasn't going to think about the man who lied to him just to get him into bed, the man he trusted with his life only to be betrayed and in the worst way. He wasn't going to give Tyler that satisfaction of letting him be his every waking thought because he didn't deserve his time; he didn't deserve _anything_ from him, not anymore.

And as many times as he tried to tell himself that he _couldn't_ stop thinking about him. It was like every memory he had of him had come back to haunt him, especially the ones about their fight. He was angry when it was happening; he would have said just about anything to hurt Tyler the way he'd been hurt; now he just wanted to take it all back and beg for his forgiveness. But it didn't change the fact that Tyler lied to get him to do something he was originally against and he didn't know if he could forgive that. He didn't trust Tyler to _not_ hurt him again and he felt sick that he couldn't trust the person he loved.

He lay back on the cobblestone with his arms spread out and looked at the slowly darkening sky, seeing a couple of stars peak out from the clouds. He didn't know how he was supposed to move on from this. He couldn't even call it a relationship—he didn't know _what_ to call it. And it was just as well because it hadn't meant anything to Tyler anyway. _He_ hadn't meant anything. But Tyler tried to apologize, he said he hadn't meant for any of this to happen, though Jeremy was more determined in getting away from him than listening. He _did_ apologize, multiple times, in fact. He'd begged for his forgiveness and in return he'd punched him in the face. The memory made him cringe and his heart sink into his toes; he didn't know if it was even possible for them to reconcile, if it would even be worth it. Maybe they were better off without each other.

His pity party was interrupted by soft footsteps; Damon's head suddenly appeared over him, blocking his view of the half-moon coming into view.

"Dinner's ready. Alaric made his famous steak with smothered potatoes and broccoli. It's the best meal you'll ever have, hands down."

"It sounds great…but I'm not hungry," Jeremy sighed as he sat up. He heard Damon sigh above him; instead of going back inside he took a seat next to him, sticking his bare feet in the cool water.

"You've only eaten five meals in the seven days you've been here Jeremy."

"You keep count?" he asked, surprised. Damon nodded.

"That's my job, to make sure you're taken care of and to make note of when you're not. It's also to make sure that you're happy, which I can clearly see you aren't."

Jeremy looked at the water, not knowing how to respond.

"Do you not like it here?"

"What? No! I like it here a lot!" Jeremy said quickly.

"Then what's wrong Jeremy? Talk to me. I won't be angry if something isn't to your liking, I'm not one of those Dominants."

"It's nothing, sir, I'm just…" he sighed as he tried to find the right words. "I'm just dealing with…something personal."

"Which is?"

"It's personal," he said weakly. Damon gave him a pointed look and he sighed. "Master Tyler and I didn't part on the best terms."

"What do you mean?"

"We argued, he tried to…apologize for everything and I wouldn't hear it and he was trying to make me listen but I got angry and…I punched him in the face."

"Really?" Damon chuckled, much to Jeremy's surprise. Jeremy nodded, not able to help the corners of his lips quirking upward. "What'd he do?"

"I don't know. I ran before he did anything.

Damon laughed again. "I would have paid money to see the look on his face. Nice job kid."

Jeremy smiled lightly before looking back at the water; Damon's compliment made him feel better for a second before the pressing sadness was back.

"Do you miss him?"

Jeremy didn't answer right away and Damon didn't think he was going to get an answer.

"Yes," he whispered sadly. "I shouldn't because he betrayed me…but he's all I think about."

The _because I'm still in love with him _hung in the air. He allowed himself a brief smile when Damon squeezed his shoulder.

"I know something that will help you forget." He grinned at the look of confusion on Jeremy's face. "How would you feel about a vacation?"

"To where?"

"Europe."

Jeremy blinked once, not sure if he heard that correctly. "We're going to Europe?"

"Only if you want to. I know you just got here so we won't go if you're not up to it. I won't force you to move again."

"Move…again?" the teen's brow furrowed. "Move to Europe?"

"Again, only if you wanted. And it doesn't have to be now; we can go whenever you want. I have a house in Italy, one in France and a very nice Loft in London where you can stay." He squeezed Jeremy's shoulder. "It's just something to think about."

He stood and left, water dropping onto the cobblestone pebbles with each step. Jeremy watched him until he was out of sight before turning back to the water, thoughts heavy on their conversation. To visit Europe was one thing but to live there, to start over away from Tyler and his parent's deaths and every horrible thing that had occurred since then…it was the chance of a lifetime for someone like him. He was being given the opportunity to start fresh where no one knew him and he could be a new person, unscarred by the memories of his past and unrequited love. Maybe he would find someone over there who actually could return his feelings. But he didn't want to leave Katherine and Caroline, nor Bonnie since they were just starting to rekindle their friendship and Tyler…he was hurt by all he'd done but it didn't change that he loved him, that he still hoped they could be friends. It would never be enough for him but it was better than nothing…right?

He stared at the water for another hour, weighing the pros and cons of the situation before he took his feet out; the air hit them and he caught a chill for a moment before he shook of the droplets off his legs and walked back to the house.


End file.
